I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine
by quisinart4
Summary: A stressful case has Steve re-considering his relationship with Kono until he can admit to himself the truth about what he really wants. AU established Steve/Kono COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Title: **I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Summary: **A stressful case has Steve re-considering his relationship with Kono until he can admit to himself the truth about what he really wants. AU established Steve/Kono

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**Author's Note: **Hello! :) Hope everyone's doing well. Sorry for the hiatus, but I'm not really into the show anymore. Even though I have tons of finished Steve/Kono pieces sitting on my hard drive, I wasn't in the mood to even think of uploading them. But I liked last episode and it made me miss Steve and Kono, together, individually, and my versions of them, so I thought I'd finally get around to posting something. And I missed some of my favorite commenters here as well!

This falls in the same universe as some of the other pieces I've posted. It's an AU where Malia's still alive and has twin boys with Chin, and Steve and Kono are already in a relationship. There's a case involved in this story, but let me emphasize, it is _not _a case story, it is a Steve/Kono story that happens to have a case to further set up _their_ story. It's not meant to be very technical or thought out.

Comments would be most welcome. Depending on how much feedback I get, I'll decide how quickly I decide to post updates. Icon credit goes to **andyswarek **at tumblr. Many thanks to **fiveohlove** and **Tiana-P** for being the best cheerleaders when I was writing this. Enjoy!

* * *

"I'm not hungry, Kono, I don't have time to eat. You go get something."

"You're not hungry, or you don't have time to eat?" Kono questions in amusement as she throws his words back at him. "Cause those are two totally different things."

Steve looks up from his desk to glare at her nitpicking his words, before returning his attention to the file he has open, wheeling his chair back to grab some sheets from the printer. "Both. Either. I need to review these files for the Governor, I'm meeting him Thursday."

"That's still two whole days away!" Kono points out, getting up from one of the visitor armchairs in his office to come stand around his desk. "You've been working non-stop all night, I thought you were meeting him tomorrow morning or something." Steve shakes his head. "You have plenty of time. Let's go eat."

"I may not have time tomorrow once the DNA comes back on the case," Steve tells her. "Just order something here."

"No way, this place will smell like stale takeout tomorrow." Kono wrinkles her nose at the idea of the smell greeting them in the morning when they arrive for work. "Come on, you have plenty of time." Steve still doesn't look convinced. She sighs as she hops onto the corner of his desk. "You were one of those kids who did your homework as soon as you got home from school, weren't you?"

"Of course," Steve replies, smiling faintly as he looks up at her. "Let me guess. You waited until Sunday night?"

"Or Monday morning on the bus," Kono says with a laugh. She watches him put the printouts in the file he's working on and close it, moving it to the finished pile, but she grabs his hand before he reaches for a new folder to review. "Nope. You can do those tomorrow. Let's eat." He opens his mouth to protest, so she hurries to speak first as she tugs him up from his chair. "I promise to help you tomorrow, come on. I know you didn't even have lunch, Danny was starving when he left."

"Got busy," is all Steve says, but he gives his desk one last look to make sure everything is neatly in place, powers off his computer, and follows her to the door.

"We're always busy, Steve," Kono tells him, watching him lock his office door and grabbing his hand to lead him down the stairs. "I swear, did you even remember to eat before I came along?"

"Well, thankfully, I have you now, and you always remembers to eat," Steve teases, already feeling lighter and more cheerful as they step out into the warm Hawaiian night. The last rays of afternoon sunshine are disappearing into a golden, picture perfect sunset. It's impossible not to enjoy the view, even if a meeting with the Governor looms ahead.

"Hey, watch it," Kono says sternly as she slides into the passenger's seat of his truck, but she smiles and leans over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek as he starts the engine. "You pick."

Twenty minutes later, she eyes him thoughtfully as he's finishing his second helping of macaroni and cheese.

"Not hungry, were you?" she asks as she waves the waitress over for their bill.

Steve shrugs as he pushes his plate away. "Okay, fine," he admits with a lopsided smile. "You got me."

"Duh. You were crabby all afternoon."

"No, I wasn't," Steve denies.

"Yes, you were. You basically snapped Danny's head off about him losing the autopsy report for the Ruani case, and it was in your office the whole time."

"But not in the autopsy bin," Steve points out in annoyance. "I told him to keep all autopsy files separate and put them in the top bin so I can sign off-"

Kono interrupts him with a laugh. "Don't worry, I always put them in the top bin for you," she says proudly as she leans closer to him.

"You do, thank you," he says with a fond smile as he leans closer to brush his lips across hers quickly, smiling when she instinctively leans in for more. But they're in public, so he keeps it chaste and she reluctantly moves back, but remains close to his side. "You always put the files in the right bin."

"That's only because I'm sleeping with you," Kono explains as she gulps down the last of her soda. "Or else I'd annoy you like Danny does."

"Hey, Chin puts them in the right bin too. What's your reasoning on that?"

"That he's Chin, and he's perfect," Kono says about her cousin matter-of-factly, and Steve has to nod in agreement at that.

They look up as their waitress approaches them with a copy of their bill. "Will you be paying in cash or credit? Separate or together?"

"Together," Kono says. She sees Steve reach for his wallet but she's quicker and holds up her credit card, having already pulled it from her pocketbook as she eyed the waitress across the room. "Here."

"No, wait," Steve says, holding his card up and shaking it slightly to signal that the waitress pay attention to him. "This one."

"Ignore him." Kono smiles brightly at the woman in reassurance. "This one."

"No," Steve repeats, fixing the waitress with a steely stare as if she is daring to disobey a direct command from a high ranking official in the United States Armed Forces, which she is. She's just not a subordinate member of the military or a law enforcement official for him to boss around.

"Okay, you decide and I'll be back in a minute," the waitress says with a small laugh as she moves down the aisle to the next table.

"You scare everybody away," Kono accuses her boyfriend with a playful glare. "I got it, Steve."

"Kono..."

"You paid for dinner a few nights ago, plus shave ice. It's fine."

"No, I didn't," Steve lies smoothly, but she only shakes her head at him.

"Yes, you did, I was there. And we had this exact same conversation but the waiter was a wimp and caved. I like this lady," Kono comments with approval as she waves the waitress back over. "Let it go. You pay the next time."

"Fine," he relents as he watches the waitress grab Kono's credit card when she walks past their table again. "Thanks."

She smiles to herself at his _thank you_, because that's how he is - chivalrous and polite, manners ingrained in him either by a mother he lost too soon, or the Navy that became his next family, polishing his rough edges to create the man he is now. Maybe it's a little of both influences, and his instinctive generous nature; she can never tell when it comes to figuring out the parts of him that catch her by surprise.

Kono slides next to him, smiling with pleasure as he wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her close. "Do you feel okay, Steve? Do you feel horribly emasculated? Should I call an ambulance?"

"Shut up," Steve retorts, but he releases a small chuckle as he shakes his head in amusement.

"Is your manhood intact? You know, if you want," she says with a wicked smile as she leans closer, resting a hand on his chest as he ducks his head to hear her next words, "I can check on it for you when you drop me off." Her hand drops a few inches on his chest, and from the teasing look in her eye, he has no doubt exactly what she's referring to by _it_.

"Yeah?" he murmurs, his eyes darkening at her innuendo, the corner of his mouth twitching as he holds back a smirk. "That's really helpful of you." His hand rubs small circles softly at the small of her back, his touch warm through the fabric of her thin cotton t-shirt.

"I'm a helpful person," Kono remarks with a smile. "I work in public service." Steve grins, but before he can open his mouth to say something back, she adds, "Oh, but wait. You have those files for the Governor to look over."

Steve grabs her hand before she can move away from him in the booth, holding it tightly and shaking his head at the tactic she's using. But it's a tactic that works, and he certainly doesn't mind losing tonight. "There's only a few left, I can finish up tomorrow."

"Putting off homework from the Governor for me?"

"You're worth it," he replies with a smile, kissing her quickly, just as the waitress interrupts their flirting to give back Kono's credit card with the receipt.

"Have a great night," she says warmly.

"Thanks, you too," Kono says back before following Steve out of the booth to the parking lot, smiling at him in the evening darkness. "My car's at headquarters so you wanna drive back?"

"I'll pick you up in the morning," Steve tells her, and she nods in agreement at the arrangement.

"Not super early!" she warns. "I want to surf tomorrow and I don't wanna be in at six o'clock in the morning unless we have a new case."

"No promises," he says seriously, but smiles at her in the car and drops the act. An early morning of work is nothing to joke about with her. If it's for surfing, she's there. But for a crime scene? Not the best way to start the day. "Fine, fine, I'll call you when I'm going in."

"Good." Kono twists in her seat to smile at him in the evening dusk. "See, eating dinner, it's an amazing concept."

"I eat dinner," Steve counters back.

"Yeah, only when you remember. What's the point of being able to cook when you barely remember mealtimes?"

"Cooking for one person is a waste," Steve admits with a shrug.

"Well, you can cook for me," Kono says brightly. "Tomorrow, dinner at your place."

"Okay." He smiles at her and nods, marking it on his mental calendar, already running through a list of ingredients in the fridge that he can use and what she'll like. Thankfully, she's very easy when it comes to dinner choices. "I can do that."

She kisses his cheek at the promise of their plans, and he turns his head so their lips meet quickly, just for a second before his eyes dart back to the road. But it's enough of a fleeting contact to have their senses humming and their blood roaring with desire. Her lips remain on the corner of his mouth, her hand cradling the line of his jaw as her warm breath fans his skin and she drops another kiss on his cheek.

"Drive faster," Kono orders, and Steve pushes his foot on the gas pedal at her command.

* * *

"Hey, Steve still with the Governor?" Danny joins Kono at the smart table, watching her run information on the latest victim they'd found this morning in a dumpster behind the shopping mall, tossed out like yesterday's trash. The symbolism made them cringe, but they could do nothing but their jobs as they canvassed the scene and took statements from the maintenance crew. Kono was running financials while Chin was in his office talking to the law firm they'd learned their victim, Conner Mahuki, worked for.

"Yeah, he's not back yet," Kono tells him. "Almost done running this stuff, but it's all clean. He seemed like a stand-up guy. Left behind a wife and a kid."

"I don't think he wanted to leave them, Kono," Danny says with a sad smile, and she winces apologetically at the saying and how unfit it sounds in the context of the Mahuki family's loss. "Well, send what you have to HPD cause Duke called to say they're taking the case." Danny shakes the cell phone in his hand slightly to let her know he'd just finished talking with the Sergeant.

"Why?" Kono frowns, her hands hovering over the keyboard at the news. HPD officers had been at the scene but none of them mentioned anything about taking over the case.

"Hey, guys. Who wants to come with me to the law firm?" Chin asks, stepping out of his office.

"Perfect timing," Danny says, inviting Chin to join them with a wave of his hand. "Apparently, HPD got some information on the last _pro bono_ case Mahuki was working on. He was defending a guy busted for small time drug dealing, and almost had him ready to roll on the head honcho, some guy named Akoni Chan. Just before the meet with HPD, we find Mahuki dead and they found the guy he was representing beaten and bloody at the beach. Said the gang turned on him when they knew he'd talk, so HPD is going to take over to continue building their case," Danny concludes with a shrug.

"Oh, okay, makes sense," Chin acknowledges. "I'll call back the law firm and tell them to expect a detective from HPD to get in touch with them."

Kono goes back to the smart screen to save what she'd been working on. "I'll email this stuff to them."

"And I will call Steve," Danny says with a smile. "I'm already liking today. Well, minus the dead guy, of course."

"I guess this means we have to look over the Sanbower case again," Chin announces responsibly, holding back a grin at Kono and Danny's dramatic sighs of exasperation. "There's gotta be something we can find on the security footage."

"Yes, I'm sure there is, Chin, but we _can't find it_, even after viewing the same footage forty-seven times," Danny mutters. But he pulls up a chair and motions for Kono to start the video on the plasma screen as they begin to review it for the forty-eighth time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Thanks to those who have commented. I hope you enjoy this chapter too. Have a great start to your week!

* * *

"I'm sorry, you did _what?_" Danny asks in confusion later that afternoon when Steve finally arrives back at headquarters.

"I, well, Duke said-"

"You took _back_ the case?" Danny says, his voice rising on each word as he uses his hands to emphasize each word of his statement.

"Well, I mean, technically, it was ours first. I told Duke we'd look into it and do what we can," Steve explains quickly, looking at Chin and hoping for the other man's support as he faces a frustrated Danny.

Chin looks at him thoughtfully before speaking. "Not that we don't want to help-"

"Not like we have a choice, do we?" Danny scoffs with a glare thrown Steve's way.

"As I was saying," Chin begins again, "not that we don't want to help, but Duke seemed pretty clear about HPD taking over with the gang angle. We turn over cases sometimes. What changed your mind?"

Steve shifts restlessly on his feet, and tries to avoid the annoyance in Danny's eyes to focus on Chin's more calm, inquiring gaze. The soothing brown of them reminds him of Kono; that could explain why he can answer the man's question honestly, like how looking into Kono's eyes seems to lower his defenses in a completely different kind of way. "I stopped by HPD to talk to Duke, and this guy Mahuki's wife and son were there, and-"

"Ah." Chin nods knowingly, the light of understanding flaring into his eyes.

"What?" Steve asks defensively, looking back at Danny who is now also nodding emphatically in understanding.

"Of course there's a kid who lost his dad involved, Steven, that explains everything," Danny declares. "Like we don't already have five open cases and a shitload of paperwork to get through before the end of the month, you just had to ask Duke for more homework and throw a gang of island drug dealers into the mix!"

"Look, he was a good guy, Connor," Steve snaps at Danny. "He was trying to do the right thing and keep the island safe, and he got gunned down for it. So, we're going to take the case because that's what we do, alright?"

"Of course, Steve, we'd be happy to help with this case that you've taken a personal interest in, thanks for asking us... oh, wait," Danny drawls sarcastically. Chin bites back a chuckle.

"I don't need to ask you anything because I am the boss," Steve reminds his partner arrogantly, "and just like the Governor told me this morning, I get to pick and choose which cases we work on when we're not working on the cases we _have_ to be working on. And I pick this one."

"Don't pull that boss crap on me, you asshole," Danny growls. "You owe me. Like, a long weekend off, making pancakes for Grace, getting me something nice for my birthday _owe_ me."

"Whatever. Where's Kono?" Steve asks, craning his neck to look toward the offices since Kono has not yet joined them at the smart table during the entire conversation.

"She took her mom to a doctor's appointment cause she was having car trouble," Chin tells him.

"We have to tell her we still have the case because she sent all that stuff to HPD before she left," Danny says.

"I will. I'll tell her tonight," Steve replies with a nod.

"Oh, I bet you will," Danny teases. He stops smirking when both Chin and Steve glare at him. "Right, no mention of their nighttime activities, my bad."

"So, let's get what we can about this Chan guy so we're ready to go in the morning, alright?" Steve nods at them enthusiastically as he ushers them back to the smart table, and effectively back to work. "Come on, guys, it'll be fun."

"Great. Fun for him means someone's gonna get shot while working this case," Danny mutters to Chin as they follow their benevolent dictator back to the computer console.

"And with his track record, it'll probably be you," Chin says with a grin.

"Not funny, Chin."

* * *

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Kono asks as she opens her front door later that night to find Steve on her doorstep.

Steve takes a step as if to cross the threshold into her living room, but pauses to peer inside first. "Wait. Your mom's not here, is she?"

"No," Kono answers with a laugh as she tugs him inside. "We went to lunch after her doctor's appointment then I took her home. I played hooky the rest of the day."

"I noticed." Steve follows her to the couch, taking off his badge and gun and setting it on her coffee table after the long day. He'd much rather be out in the field leading a mission, hell, even disarming a bomb than having to sit for an hour or two in the Governor's stuffy office to recap cases they've already completed and closed the book on. Plus, having to carefully pick and choose which potentially illegal details to share from the course of their investigation and which to exclude can be troublesome. Not to mention having to wear a dress shirt for some aura of professionalism instead of his regular work attire that allows him to breathe and move freely. This collar seems to be choking him.

But from the way her eyes brighten, Kono seems to like the look.

"I wanted to tell you-"

Her arms wrap around his neck, her body falling into his because she knows he'll catch her, and he does. Her lips are on his, applying just the right amount of pressure so he begins to kiss her back without pause. His mouth easily settles into a rhythm they've set over the past months together. Steve's hands slide through her long hair to cradle her face. He tugs her closer, appreciating the feel of her soft curves against his chest, the way her hands rub the skin at the nape of his neck.

She breaks the kiss to smile at him, watching fondly as he opens his eyes and blinks away the cloud of arousal to meet her gaze. "My mom's here."

The arousal is gone in an instant, replaced with panic as he unconsciously takes a step back from her and turns his head, as if expecting Diana Kalakaua to be watching them kiss from the kitchen doorway with a frown on her elegant face.

"What? Where? Why didn't you-"

"Just kidding," Kono teases, only shrugging when he scowls at her. "Come on, I couldn't resist."

"That's not funny."

"I don't know why you'd be worried. My mom likes you, it's my dad who doesn't, remember?"

As if he could forget the way Luka Kalakaua always seems to be staring at him when they meet, frowning when he sees the ink of Steve's tattoos or hears stories from his Navy days. He still hasn't won the guy over, no matter how much charm he tries to muster at family dinners. Kono doesn't care, but he wishes the man would simply blurt out what the problem is so Steve can try and fix it. But he has an idea that it's everything about himself that he can't change, not even to impress Kono's father when she drags him to Kalakaua family events to put in an appearance.

"And she made you lasagna." Kono heads into the kitchen to pull out a container from the fridge for him.

Steve stares at the tupperware box in heartfelt surprise. "That's... really nice of her."

"She said she hates to think of you all alone in that big, empty house, and since I can't cook for you," Kono shrugs as she hands him a Longboard from the fridge, "enjoy."

"Tell her thanks," he says with a smile, trailing behind her to the living room again as he takes a seat on the couch to fill her in on the rest of the day. "So, you know that case from this morning? The body we found at the mall?"

Kono nods, her mind flashing back to discovering the remains and the horrid smell that had greeted them when they arrived at the scene. Even after all this time, all these years, it still catches her by surprise the first instant she walks onto a crime scene, as does the flash of emotion when she looks down at the body that will breathe no more. "Yeah, Connor something or another."

"Right, Mahuki," Steve nods. "We're taking the case."

Her brow wrinkles in puzzlement. "But I thought Danny said HPD was gonna take over. Something about building a case against a small-time gang."

"Yeah, but it's ours now."

"Why?" Kono asks, turning to him with a slight frown as she watches him over the rim of her beer bottle. "What happened?"

Steve rolls his eyes and wonders when he became so easy to read. Definitely after he moved to Hawaii because no one had ever been able to read him so quickly during his military days as the three co-workers in his life now could. Probably because they became more than just co-workers - they became family.

"Why does everyone keep asking that?" His tone is already defensive like it had been when Chin and Danny had turned on him in the office. "Nothing happened. It's a good case. The guy's dead, we have the pieces of the puzzle. We just need to put it together."

She nods at his answer that isn't really an answer at all, remaining patient despite his abrupt answer and sudden change in attitude. "Okay. Well, I did most of the preliminary research before sending what I had to HPD, but I didn't get ballistics from the lab or-"

"I finished pulling the rest of it," Steve tells her. "And Chin and I went and spoke to his co-workers."

If Kono's surprised at the pace of their work, she keeps it to herself. "Good. Okay."

That's all Kono says before she falls quiet and takes another sip of her drink. She doesn't ask any more questions or demand an answer to the sudden change in their workload. She knows there's something behind Steve's reasoning, something must have changed his mind for him to change Duke's mind, but he doesn't want to share, and she doesn't want to push. She remains silent, enjoying the lull in conversation even as he remains tense at her side.

"I ran into his wife and kid at HPD when I went to see Duke," Steve admits quietly. She turns to face him at the explanation, her eyes going soft at the mention of Mahuki's mourning family coping with their sudden loss. "They were..." He struggles to find the right word, but there isn't one so he lets out a deep breath, trying to finish the sentence the best he can. "They were a mess."

"I can imagine," Kono says softly. Her hand reaches out to rest on his knee, squeezing in comfort to let him know she's there, that she's listening to whatever he wants to share, and won't push for him to share what he won't.

The touch is hesitant, but firm, and he tries to find a way to explain to her what he felt when he stumbled across Mahuki's grieving widow and son in Sergeant Duke's office. He'd looked into the eyes of a confused teenager who was struggling to understand why this happened to his father, to his family, and how to make sense of the rest of his life that he knew would never be the same. Steve knew what those feelings were like; he had _been_ that teenager struggling to find clarity when his world had been shaken after the death of his mother. He had worked tirelessly for years to find answers regarding the circumstances surrounding the loss of his parents, and even though the cases are considered closed now, the feelings from the past do not simply vanish, not even decades later.

"We're at a standstill with the other cases, I thought we might as well try and tackle this one," Steve elaborates, looking into her eyes and trying to make her understand how important this is to him. It's important for him to try and provide answers for someone else when he'd worked so hard alone to find his.

But not all alone - his _ohana_ had been at his side. She had been at his side.

He wants them to help Connor Mahuki's kid in the exact same way.

"We'll figure it out." That's all Kono says as she curls into him, arching her neck up to brush her lips against his softly. "We will put our very best men on it. And me," she says with a soft smile.

He smiles back at her, his hands on her cheeks as he looks into her eyes and marvels at how she's come to know him so well in such a short amount of time. She knows when he wants to talk and when he doesn't, when he wants to fuck and when he just wants to sit quietly on the couch with a cold beer. He has never thought of himself as an open book, and it unnerves him to think he's revealing so much of himself so easily. But maybe he hasn't become an open book at all; maybe he's simply a book she's determined to read.

* * *

"So, our little fish is a guy named Marcus Riko. Banged and bruised in the hospital, not a pretty face right now." Danny winces as he recalls the hospital visit and the patient he and Steve had met to question regarding Connor Mahuki's _pro bono_ work and the suspicions of his death.

"Marcus also suspects Chan was the guy to kill Mahuki because the lawyer had nearly convinced Marcus to turn on Chan regarding his involvement in some of the island's small time drug dealings. The deal was for them to meet at HPD and discuss giving a statement, wearing a wire, all of it," Steve says to the rest of the team. "Obviously, that didn't happen, and he believes Chan kicked it up a notch to murder him and send a message to the rest of his boys. Thankfully, bystanders called the police before our Marcus guy was beat to death."

"Surprised they didn't shoot him when they had him," Chin says wryly.

"Even Marcus says he got damn lucky," Danny relays, shaking his head in amazement.

"They gonna help him out with relocation so he can stay safe?" Chin questions with concern as he hears Steve and Danny's recap of the interview. "At least he tried, right?"

"Yes, they are trying to get him safely to another island," Danny assures him, "because, well, he did at least try. It's not his fault."

"Well, I ran everything on Chan, and trust me, the guy's a real piece of work." Kono puts up Akoni Chan's record on the smart screen, letting the guys skim down the list of offenses and look at the picture of Chan smiling smugly at them from his mugshot. "A nice long list of drug dealing crimes, battery, assault. The petty stuff started right from his early teens. He's managed to stay low on the radar the past couple of years even though there's suspicion he's been involved in many of the local gang crimes. No evidence though."

"That'd be too easy, of course," Chin comments with a sigh. "Anything from Max we can work with?"

"We're heading there once he calls," Danny says. "Hopefully he can give us something. Because from the way the way this guy manages to slip and slide through the constraints of the law, we have our work cut out for us."

They all turn to look at Steve, waiting for him to toss an idea their way or direct them where to start, but he seems lost in thought as he stares at the plasma screen. Finally, he shakes himself out of the trance and looks back at them, back in commander mode as he directs orders for the rest of the day. "Okay, Danny and I will see what Max has to say. Kono, Chin, check out the crime scene photos again for what we could have missed. Anything we find, we send to the lab for verification. I don't want to cut any corners on this one."


	3. Chapter 3

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay in updating. As always, thank you to those who comment. I also hope the chapter lengths aren't too long. I divided it up into sections for a good rhythm for the story, but maybe too much at once is overwhelming? Let me know if it's working for you. Enjoy the chapter, and have a great start to your week.

* * *

"I do not have more to tell you except that death was quick for him, execution-style," Max relays to Danny and Steve as they stand at a respectful distance away from Mahuki's body and Max's lab equipment in the morgue. "It is a common technique among the many deaths of street violence I have identified, but I have found no other signs to indicate complications at the time of death."

"Anything found on his body we can work with? Any marks?" Steve questions anxiously, trying not to pace with frustration in the small autopsy lab.

"Like tattoos?" Max questions, his eyebrows furrowing behind his glasses.

"No, like ritual killing marks that gangs leave behind," Steve elaborates.

Max nods in understanding. "Oh. No, just your normal scars and moles. There was one place where he received stitches at the age of eleven, according to his medical insurance file. I did find an imprint of a vague squiggly mark on the back of his neck, but I cannot make sense of it. It could be a mark from his childhood or a hit from the dumpster you say he was found in."

"'Vague squiggly?'" Danny repeats. He chuckles as he elbows Steve next to him with a grin. "Is that your scientific opinion now, Max?" Max stares at Danny in displeasure for two very long seconds, and Danny quickly wipes the smile off his face. "Right, sorry. Vague squiggly mark, got it."

"We can't be sure where it's from without..." Steve and Danny wait for him to explain, leaning toward him in anticipation as Danny waves for him to finish the sentence, so Max obliges. "Well, without being able to ask someone intimately familiar with the victim's body, or being able to obtain the information firsthand from the victim himself."

"But he's _dead_," Danny says in what he considers a helpful tone. Obviously it's not because Max glares at him once again.

"Yes, Detective Williams, I know that." Max's voice is testy as he says it, but he continues speaking in his usual manner of professionalism for the two visitors in his lab. "I mean that some marks seem so insignificant to us, and without a comprehensive life history, we cannot be sure what the origins of them are. It could have been very significant for the victim during his or her life, but very insignificant for us as we look for a cause of death. The mark is mentioned and photographed in my report under physical characteristics, of course," he assures Steve.

"Great. As long as we have pictures of it," Danny mutters sarcastically under his breath, sighing in dissatisfaction.

"Other than that, I do not have much more to tell you, Commander McGarrett," Max says, shrugging under his lab jacket in apology when he notes the look of disappointment Steve can't hide. "Good luck."

"Where to next?" Danny asks once they're in the car and Steve's headed in the direction of somewhere other than headquarters.

"Kamekona's. We gotta find this guy somehow and it's not like gang leaders stay in one place for us to just knock on their door." Steve taps the steering wheel in frustration as he tries not to fidget restlessly in his seat.

"Look, I know you won't listen to what I'm about to say-"

"Then save your breath and don't say it," Steve suggests smoothly when Danny pauses for a beat in his sentence.

"But I'm going to say it anyway," Danny continues, as if Steve had not even spoken. "You can't solve every case for every teenage boy out there looking for answers about his parents, okay?" Steve remains silent with hands clenched on the wheel, his eyes on the road, and giving away no sign that he agrees with what Danny's saying. "I know you want to, I know it's the hero in you trying to save the day, but you don't have to have the answers for everyone. It's okay to let things go."

"Okay, Danny," Steve replies dutifully.

"Don't_ okay_ me, try and _understand_ what I'm trying to tell you, alright?" Danny exclaims with exasperation, twisting in his seat to try and meet Steve's eyes.

"Alright. Okay," Steve repeats with more emphasis, meeting Danny's gaze with a nod. He hopes he looks genuine enough. "I won't get too hung up on this if it doesn't lead anywhere, okay? Is that what you want to hear?"

Danny only stares at him, not believing him at all, but nodding anyway because they're approaching Kamekona's and he knows which topics he can get through to Steve about and which he clearly cannot. Telling him to go easy when trying to solve the murder of a parent to provide answers for a child mourning their loss is one of those topics where he knows he's not going to win. But he wouldn't be his partner, wouldn't be his best friend, if he didn't at least try.

* * *

"Akoni Chan? Why you lookin' for him?" Kamekona's asks, his eyes widening as he looks back and forth between them in surprise. "Guy's bad news."

"Yeah, we're cops, we know," Danny declares, leaning against the shrimp stand, knowing this will be a long conversation by the way Kamekona's already giving them the initial runaround before they have to eventually coax him into telling them what they need. "We carry guns, we're prepared."

Kamekona shrugs. "He's one of those neighborhood kids tryin' to make it big the wrong way, know what I mean? Started with small stuff but trying to gain street cred with the bigger gangs. Probably gonna get it too, guy's brutal when it comes to dealin' the wrong kind of stuff from what I've seen. Got no remorse when the kids end up hooked and dead."

Steve takes in the information, silently nodding his thanks to Kamekona for the insight he delivers. Say what you will about his business tactics and his penchant for bending the rules, he is not a cruel man and has never been one to praise violence or put men who use excessive force on a pedestal of worship. He stays out of those things, wouldn't get involved in such a mess with a ten-foot pole, but that also includes snitching on them to Five-0.

But Steve needs his help and Steve gets what he want.

"I don't recommend you bring him in the way you usually do," Kamekona advises the pair casually.

"Which way would that be?" Danny asks, as if offended by the dig about his professional side. Wardrobe comments he can stand, but insulting his work ethic and code for honorable police work? No damn way.

"You know, guns blazing, grenades exploding, face punching, that sort of thing."

Danny looks at Steve with clear accusation on his face, but his partner only shrugs in innocence at the comment. "I can tell you that I won't do that at least," Danny remarks, pointing to himself for clarification.

"Yeah, well, Akoni loves nothing more than a challenge so a beef with Five-0 would make his day," Kamekona warns them grimly. "Why you comin' here anyway? I got business to run."

"I'm sure you do, Kamekona," Danny says respectfully, eyeing the empty beach at this time of day when most people are at work or in school. It's no longer tourist season. Business is a little slow, but they know better than to point that out to Kamekona. "We won't take up more of your time. We just need to know where to find him. You have any ideas on that?"

Kamekona pauses long enough to give himself away, even as he shakes his head at them unconvincingly. That's all it takes for Steve and Danny to know he has information; he's just not willing to share it.

Steve chuckles. "Okay, try again. Come on."

"No way, brah. Ask your guys at HPD that keep an eye on drug activity. I ain't gettin' myself involved in the street crime. I'm too old for that shit."

"We're not getting you involved, buddy," Danny says calmly, trying to appeal to Kamekona's reasonable side that prefers to stay safe and out of the range of gunshots, and off the radar of the police scanner. "We just need to know where he hangs out so we can see what he knows about a dead lawyer."

"I don't owe you nothin'," Kamekona begins stubbornly, "even if you're basically my biggest customers cause of Grace and Kono wanting shave ice every other day."

"Look, Kamekona, the junk you said he's filling the streets with? It's killing kids left and right because of Chan. One guy at least had a conscience and wanted to turn him in. And you wanna know what happened to him?" Kamekona opens his mouth to answer but Steve continues without letting him say a word. "He got beat up and left nearly dead on the beach. And Chan kills the lawyer who was trying to set up a deal with HPD. Mahuki was doing the right thing and he got shot for it. Don't tell me you don't respect that, cause I know you do," Steve says fiercely, hoping to appeal to the man's sliver of morality, even if he tries to hide it under all that extra weight and his clear insults on the field of law enforcement. Kamekona pauses and Steve knows that he's going to give in, that he's going to help, that he's teetering on the edge of what's right. "His wife and his kid deserve justice. Come on, help us out. You know we won't mention your name."

Kamekona sighs, his whole body rumbling as he exhales loudly and glares, even if there's the tiniest bit of fondness in his gaze when he looks down at the two of them. "Fine. I know his uncle owned some old house that he and his boys crib at, I can tell you where, but I ain't tellin' you nothin' else. You can do your own damn recon. It's not like I'm on your payroll, you know."

* * *

Kono giggles as he struggles to open the front door, one hand in her hair and his lips pressed against her own. "You can't get it open."

"Yes, I can," Steve mutters, kissing her again, palming her curves as he jingles his keys loudly in an attempt to unlock the door. "Dammit, I-" He reluctantly breaks the kiss with a muffled curse, ignoring her laughing at him to open the door. He pulls her back into his arms to cradle her face, lips fused on hers immediately as the door slams behind them without wasting an extra second of time.

"What is with you tonight?" Kono murmurs, wrapping her arms around his neck ad enjoying the sensation of his hands running up and down her back. Their bodies are brushing against one other, hard muscle against soft curves, not an inch in between for air to slip through. That sensation will do for now, until pure need overwhelms them and the clothes will come off because nothing but bare skin will do. "You looked like you wanted to tear my clothes off in the middle of dinner."

"I don't know," Steve mutters against her lips as her hands slip under his shirt to run over the hard planes of his chest. They travel and up and down his muscles, over to his arms as if she's tracing the tattoo ink she has memorized by now. "You just look so fucking hot today."

"I look the same as always." But Kono smiles at the compliment as she turns her head to let him nuzzle the curve of her neck. His five o'clock shadow has more than come in at this time of night, and she shivers as the whiskers rub against sensitive skin, her hands moving to slip his shirt over his head as his lips quickly return to hers. "You were making Chin very uncomfortable," she tells him with a grin as she pushes him to the couch.

"No, I wasn't. He had to leave early cause Malia called." His eyes light up as he watches her slip out of her jeans, straddling him in the next moment, settling herself onto his lap without pause. His warm hands slide up the soft skin of her legs, then back down again as she leans into him, her body rocking in a slow rhythm as their lips meet again and again. He groans in approval as her hands travel to the waistband of his cargo pants, and his hands slide under her shirt and up the arch of her back.

"No. He _lied _and said Malia called so he could leave and then we could leave," Kono says.

"Oh, I thought-" Steve shakes his head at himself. "Well, that was nice of him."

Kono laughs again, low and seductive and he takes the moment to listen to the sound echo in his living room, his lips kissing the the hollow of her throat in appreciation of the noise. "He's a nice guy," she manages to say, just before his hands slide up her stomach to cup her small breasts and she loses coherency altogether. She moans in pleasure, leaning into him more and allowing him to remove her shirt and fix her hair, his hands clumsy but gentle as he smooths down the wayward strands.

Steve takes a moment to admire the view of her clad in a lace bra and knows he's going to be really distracted on the job from now on if he starts to think about what kind of underwear she's wearing that day. "That's what you wore to work?"

"Well, I wore a shirt over it, but you just took that off, remember? Keep up, Commander," Kono teases as she bends down to kiss him again, her hands resting on his bare chest to scratch lightly down his muscles with her fingernails.

"I had no idea-"

"Stop talking." She moans as his fingers travel to her waist, slipping underneath the waistband of her panties as she turns her face to meet his blue eyes shyly.

He smiles at her, kissing her softly as his fingers tangle in her hair. He's so careful with each strand like he's touching something delicate, and she shivers at the gesture, at the meaning in his eyes that he can't hide when he looks at her that way. Well, that and because his other hand is busy doing other electrifying things. "Cold?"

"No," she answers even as she shivers again and leans closer to him, arms tightening around his neck and eyes so trusting that it takes his breath away. "Maybe a little. Warm me?"

Steve grins at that, a flash of humor and desire at her line as he holds her hips firmly in place. But his fingertips rub at the dip of her hip bones, so soft and soothing like a whisper, like he's leaving behind an imprint only he can see. "I can do that," he promises before he kisses her again, lips firm over hers as his tongue sets a pace she can't escape, that she doesn't want to escape from at all.

Later, when they're a tangle of tired limbs, she collapses on top of him, dozing in and out of sleep and knowing she has to get up, even if she doesn't particularly want to. All she can murmur is, "I have to go home. I don't have any more clothes here."

"No." Steve's hands tighten around her, his body clenching though she hasn't made a movement to leave yet, she's only said the words out loud. "Sleep here. Go tomorrow."

She curls closer into him, not sure whose sweat is whose, but knowing they need to get upstairs to bed because her right foot is falling asleep, and her eyes are heavy with exhaustion. The two beers she had at dinner while trying to avoid Steve's heated gaze from across the table are now kicking in. "I hate waking up early," she mutters with a frown.

He chuckles lightly, his breath fanning over her cheek as he looks at her with an expression that falls a few inches shy of reverence. "Except to surf."

"Well, yeah. That's surfing," she repeats with a shrug, like that explains everything. "I meant getting up early for work."

"I should be offended," he mutters, but he smiles when she only laughs, shaking her head in amusement at his pouting. He's relaxed and always a little more quick to smile after sex, and she kisses him quickly in reward for his teasing.

"Upstairs." Kono reaches for his t-shirt on the other end of the couch, slipping it over her head. She forces herself to climb off him, already missing the feel of their bodies resting against one other, cool flesh and hot puffs of breath from each exhale.

He smiles as he reaches for his boxers, tugging them on, then tugging her hand and pulling her to her feet. She wobbles slightly, but his hands are firm as they guide her, steady as they rest at her waist to keep her upright. "I won't wake you up when I go for my run, promise."

She nods sleepily and allows him to lead her up the stairs, his hands gently pushing her into bed and pulling her close to him. Steve leaves one last kiss on her lips before she drifts off to sleep with a well-satisfied sigh.


	4. Chapter 4

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Have a great end to your April, and a marvelous start to May! Thanks for those who are commenting and enjoying the story, I update with you in mind and I hope you enjoy the latest installment. :)

* * *

"Anything on your end?"

"All clear here," Chin answers over the speakerphone as he and Kono remain in the car. They were given a possible location for Akoni Chan by HPD and had split into teams to find the guy. Steve was determined to bring him in for questioning, saying his initial impression from the questioning is all he would need to tell whether Chan committed the murder or not. "Quiet on this end. You?"

"Same," Danny answers. "We're where Kamekona told us to be, but we're gonna need to see something happen on the street since we can't bust the house."

"Unfortunately," Steve mutters and the other three grin at their boss' displeasure at not being able to break down doors. Kono can almost imagine the pout on his face as he's left with nothing to do but sit in a parked car down the street and torturously wait.

"Warrant, babe. You were the one who said let's do this right," Danny reminds him.

"Exactly, Steve," Chin agrees. "He'll show up sooner or later."

"You guys sit tight, let me know if he shows up there," Steve orders.

"Got it, Boss," Kono says.

"Aw, Boss. That is so cute," Danny teases right before the line disconnects from the other end, and Chin and Kono share a look of amusement.

"Think he'll show?" Kono asks her cousin with a sigh. She doesn't care for stakeouts. Her body is always itching for action, to run and kick and hold a weapon, to be in the heat of the moment, whether that's undercover in a mini-dress, or on scene in her Kevlar vest. Sitting around for hours _hoping_ their suspect will do something wrong so they can bring him in? If it was between this and the mandatory volunteer hours she had to put in working cold cases for HPD during her years in the Academy, she wasn't sure which she'd choose because both are downright horrible ways to spend a Wednesday afternoon.

But that's what the job entails sometimes, even the fast-paced, exciting and glamorous life of being Five-0, so that's what she has to do.

Chin shrugs as he takes another sip of coffee, his watchful eyes never leaving the block though there's no one there. "HPD said they'd been monitoring this area, but we can never count on reliability or patterns when it comes to gang activity."

"True," Kono chuckles. She slides down in her seat to get more comfortable, and turns to her cousin for conversation since the street corner is completely quiet. "Malia working the night shift this week?"

Chin nods. "Yeah. She hates being away from the boys."

Kono smiles at the mention of her twin nephews, of their matching smiles and identical dimples, of the way their faces light up when they see her. She's pretty sure her face lights up the same way when she sees them. Everyone was surprised when Malia announced she was pregnant with twins, but if any couple could effortlessly handle two babies as easily as they could one, it was Chin and Malia. Kono liked to think that after all those years of separation, that long break-up before Chin proposed again, they had been gifted with two babies at the same time instead of only one, as if to make up for lost time. She knows Chin and Malia think of the blessing of their family the same way.

"Want me to come by one night and take them to the beach again?" Kono offers.

Chin smiles at her. "Yeah, thanks, they'd love that. Malia's actually thinking of leaving the hospital next year."

Kono's eyes widen at the news. "Whoa. Really?"

"One of her colleagues is going to retire and wants Malia and two other doctors to take over her practice. It'd mean better hours, only Monday through Friday," Chin explains, "so she's thinking of making the switch."

"That's so great," Kono says with a smile. "I hope it works out."

"Me, too."

"Better hours." Kono sighs, long and dramatic, the hint of envy in her voice as Chin smiles at her. "I'm jealous."

* * *

"Maybe we could knock on the door and-"

"And say what? We're selling Girl Scout cookies? We're here to check the light meter?" Danny asks sarcastically and Steve falls quiet once more. "Just be patient, Kamekona's tips usually pan out."

Steve nods, but he still manages to check the time four times in the next sixty seconds, flicking his eyes between the house they're surveilling and the hands on his watch.

"Hey, Grace wants to know if you and Kono can come to her soccer game this week," Danny relays, turning to his partner for an answer.

"What day is it?"

"Saturday, I think."

"Yeah, sure. I know Kono said she wanted to take the twins to the beach one day, but I'm not sure when," Steve says as he mentally flips through their recent conversations about any actual plans for the week. They're not much on going out and making plans, especially with the way their jobs are, but family, especially Grace and the Kelly twins, is always the exception.

"Uh oh, she's gonna be around the Kelly twins and their cuteness. Are you sure she hasn't brought up kids yet?" Danny asks and Steve scowls at him. "I'm just sayin'. Nothing makes women want to have their own babies more than being around other people's cute babies."

"Shut up, Danny," Steve states, squirming in his seat at the topic.

"Why can't you just admit you want her to carry your crazy ninja children? You've been together what, five, six months now, there's no shame," Danny reassures him kindly, trying not to smile at his partner's obvious discomfort.

"Danny," Steve growls, narrowing his eyes at his partner, making it clear he wants to change the topic for the rest of the stakeout.

"Fine, fine." Danny waves his hand in what could be considered a gesture of apology and relents, falling silent for a long moment as he stares out the window. "So, how many kids do you think she'll want? Cause I feel like more than four these days is just crazy-"

"Danny, we are not talking about kids!"

"Who, you and me, or you and Kono?"

"Either. Both! Let's just be quiet and watch the house, okay?"

"Well, _excuse_ _me _for taking an interest in my partner's personal life and his family planning for the future," Danny exclaims dramatically. "It won't happen again."

"Glad to hear it."

Half an hour of silence later, mostly consisting of Danny playing Tetris on his phone and muttering under his breath about Steve's inability to commit to the future, they look up when they finally see a car approach the house. No one's exited the vehicle yet, but the license plate matches the one they have on record for Akoni Chan, and Danny reaches for his phone, already dialing Chin to give him and Kono an update.

Sure enough, they see Chan exit the vehicle with another man, the two of them standing on the curb as they talk freely, taking no notice of Danny's car parked down the block.

"Come on, come on," Danny whispers even though there's no way they can be heard or seen from the safety of their vehicle. "Please be stupid enough to deal drugs out in the open, please."

Sure enough, not more than ten minutes later, Steve grins at Danny when they see the two men exchange substances.

"Got him. Let's go," Steve says.

"Chin, we got him," Danny says into the phone.

"Need back-up? We'll be there in ten."

"No, we got it. See you guys at headquarters." Danny hangs up just in time as Steve exits the vehicle and heads for the two gang members, one of whom who is a special person of interest in the murder of Connor Mahuki.

"Hands! Hands where I can see them!" Steve orders the two men as he approaches them with his gun drawn. They curse to themselves as they spot Steve, but comply.

"Officers," Chan says, his voice as oily as his prison record, his eyes darting between Steve and Danny as he takes in their appearances. "What can I help you with?"

"We just saw a drug exchange take place and we're taking you in, that's what," Danny answers, searching the other man and finding a few packets of crystalline powder in the back pocket of his jeans. "Any weapons on you?" The guy shakes his head, but Danny ignores him. "I was just making conversation, I'm gonna search you anyway."

"I got a weapon here," Steve says, pulling a 9mm out of the waistband of Chan's jeans. "I hope you're registered to carry that."

"What's this about?" Chan snaps. "Is there some business that brings HPD into my neighborhood?"

"We're not HPD, we're Five-0," Steve informs him as he cuffs him and leads him toward Danny's car. "We have some questions for you then we'll take you and your buddy down to HPD to get booked, how's that sound?"

The other man remains silent, muttering under his breath as Danny handcuffs him but Chan's eyebrows raise in surprise. "Five-0? You're those fancy island cops?"

"That's us, real fancy," Danny says as he and Steve get them into the backseat and slam the door. "Well, that was easier than we thought. Let me guess, you really wanted to punch him?"

Steve flashes a grin in the bright Hawaiian sunshine as he opens the driver's side door. "There's always interrogation."

* * *

"Nice ink," Akoni comments appreciatively when he catches a glimpse of Steve's tattoos under the sleeve of his shirt. "Where'd you get those done?"

Steve ignores the compliment and the question, pacing up and down the confined space of the interrogation room to release his own pent-up energy and relish the success of at least having brought their suspect in. "I see you've recently upgraded from small time drug deals to first degree murder."

"Man, I don't know what you're talkin' about," Chan says with a shrug, tossing Danny a supposedly charming smile over his shoulder as if to commiserate over how crazy Steve's accusation is. Danny doesn't smile back. "Seriously. I don't know."

Steve holds up a picture of Connor Mahuki in front of Chan, and notices the way the muscles of his face freeze despite his cocky bravado. "Execution style. Does that ring any bells? We're sending your weapon to the lab to see if the bullets match," Steve says and Chan looks up at him in disbelief. "But maybe you can confess for us now? Make it easy for all of us."

"Nothin' to confess to," the man states confidently even as he struggles in the chair he's confined in. The long chain around his neck ending in a snake pendant swings as he twitches in the chair, his feet tapping the floor nervously as he eyes Steve with a mix of respect and contempt on his face. No matter the company he's dealing with, Steve always manages to take control of the room, and that's exactly what's happening here.

"We know you and your guys beat up Marcus, and we know he was gonna turn on you," Danny recaps, and Chan freezes at another familiar name. "All we need is for you to tell us why you had to kill the lawyer. That was a little unnecessary."

"I'm not saying anything so you may as well let me go now, I know you have no proof," Akoni sneers, and Steve fights the urge to hit him in the face and wipe off that smug smirk because, unfortunately, he's right. "My boys and I had nothing to do with that dead lawyer."

"You were fine with the drug activity, I'll give you that," Danny tells the man, continuing to speak as if he hasn't heard him. "And your boy tried to snitch on you, I get that. You had to send a sign to the rest of your guy. But you know what happens when people who don't usually kill people start killing people?" He pauses dramatically before answering his own question. "They get sloppy, Mr. Chan. And that is where we have you."

The door opens and Kono nods at Steve to join her out in the hall, waving a folder at him. "Hey, Boss, need a minute."

"You got a lady cop workin' with you? Damn. Why didn't you have her cuff me?" Chan says, eyeing Kono with interest.

Steve follows Kono into the hall, slamming the door behind them for privacy as he turns to her. "What do we have?"

"I had Charlie run an initial ballistics scan and the gun doesn't match," Kono tells him, the disappointment clear on her face as she delivers the news.

"Fuck," Steve mutters, not even bothering to look at the report she carries since it's not the news he had been hoping for.

"I know. Sorry," she adds, reaching out to touch his shoulder lightly. "It's possible he used someone else's gun. Gangs pass around weapons all the time for protection, that's why it's so hard to pin it on one person."

"Yeah, could be." Steve runs his hand over his face, his mouth in a grim line as he looks through the small window in the interrogation room door to where Danny is still keeping Akoni company. "If we don't have anything, we'll have to let him go."

"I know," Kono repeats with a defeated shrug. "We'll just have to keep looking." She tries to give him an encouraging smile, but at a time like this, it doesn't register. He sighs, and gives her a quick nod of dismissal before returning to the interrogation room.

"Is she gonna come in to interrogate me? Cause I might be a bit more cooperative with her, if you know what I mean. She can keep the cuffs on," Chan adds with a dirty smile.

"We know you killed Mahuki, and let me tell you, Chan," Steve says with a hollow chuckle, "you should have stuck to the street corner stuff cause you are not good enough to be playing with murder in the big leagues."

That wipes the smirk off Akoni's face in an instant, his body freezing at the insult as he looks at Steve. "You have no idea who you're talkin' to."

"Sure, I do. You're some punk kid from downtown Wakiki who wasn't smart enough to make it through high school, so you got sucked into the gang world to make some cash and get high at the same time. Let me tell you, I have dealt with the worst of them, from big time terrorists to arms dealers, and you?" Steve scoffs as he gives Chan a quick once-over laced with contempt. "You are a little fish in a big pond and you are kidding yourself if you think your snake tattoo gang is gonna gain any island credibility around these parts."

The room is silent, the tension crackling in the air as the two men stare at each other. Danny remains quiet in the background, hovering nearby but not daring to speak, knowing Steve has command of the room and the conversation, taunting Chan to get a reaction out of him.

Chan's eyes glitter with anger, but he refuses to say anything, only sneering silently at Steve. He's been in the system enough times to know how this works, toed with enough cops to know which buttons to press.

"And you know I'm right," Steve continues confidently as he crowds Chan's personal space, staring down at him so he has nowhere to look but directly at him, nothing to listen to his but his words. "Mahuki was gonna ruin it for you before you could even begin to make it big, before anyone on this island knew what you were capabale of. So you killed him for it."

Chan smiles smugly, looking at Steve with disdain. "McGarrett. I knew your name sounded familiar."

Steve continues to speak as if he hadn't been interrupted. "When I find the proof you did this, that you threw that man in the trash like _garbage_, you're gonna wish you'd let him turn you in and taken quick jail time for the drug stuff instead of spending the rest of your life in prison for murder."

"I heard he had a kid, the lawyer guy. Kids who grow up without their dads become so fucked up, am I right?"

Steve doesn't realize he has followed through with the punch until Danny's shoving him toward the door, pushing at his larger frame with enough force to get his attention. He looks to see Chan spitting blood as it flows freely from his nose since his hands are still cuffed. He groans in pain, but looks up at Steve, shaking his head in some sort of twisted pleasure in knowing he made the right comment to break Steve's control.

"Steve! Out, now," Danny orders as he pushes Steve aside. He looks at Chan, pausing long enough to say, "I'll get you an ice pack," before ushers his partner into the hall. "Well, guess you got to punch him after all. You happy now? Feeling better?"

"He deserved it," Steve mutters, shaking his hand to ease the light throbbing of the impact as they walk down the hall together. "He did it, Danny, I know he did it."

"Maybe he did, but we cannot do anything more until we find proof. So we'll let him go, we'll have HPD keep an eye on him, and we'll go over the case files again, okay? Just stay away from here, alright?" Danny heads to the break room for paper towels for Chan's bloody nose while Steve steps into the control room.

"Hey. How'd it go?" Chin asks, looking up from the smart table at the sound of Steve's footsteps. But he realizes the answer to his question with one look at Steve, and exchanges a knowing glance with Kono.

"Bad." Steve walks past them into his office, slamming the door behind him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Hope everyone is having a marvelous start to May! Thanks to those who have been loyally commenting. It means a lot that you're still following the story. I've been busy but I promise to try and keep the steady updates coming.

Oh, and even though my Steve/Kono stories goes AU from before the s2 finale, this chapter does reference a storyline that came from this season - Lucy and the Aloha Girls. Steve and Lucy were so great together that had to include a comment when I wrote this months ago.

* * *

"So, this is where you escaped to," Kono says with a smile when she finds Steve sprawled on the bed upstairs, fresh from a shower. She stands in front of him, holding out his phone which he takes, tugging her down so she's laying next to him, their faces close together as he looks at her.

"You and Mary talk forever when you hijack my phone," he says.

"We do not," Kono denies immediately with a frown.

Steve glances at his phone to read from the last call log. "Thirty three minutes and twenty four seconds."

Kono only shrugs, as if she thinks that it's a perfectly acceptable amount of time on the phone. "How long do you talk to her for?"

"I don't know. Maybe ten minutes, tops," Steve guesses with a shrug. A few of those minutes, he's not even sure she's listening as he goes over his usual safety instructions that she has memorized over the years. "Fifteen if she's ranting about work."

"Same with me and my brothers." Kono drops a kiss on his cheek, her hand sliding through his wet hair. "You're a good brother."

"I'm trying," he says honestly, shrugging off her compliment because he still doesn't know if he's reached that level yet. But he is trying and it feels like that's the best he can do after all the years he hadn't tried at all.

"It's working," she assures him, leaning closer to brush her lips across his, inhaling the scent of his peppermint aftershave and the lingering smell of the ocean from his morning swim.

Steve smiles, turning toward her so he's draped over her side, looking into her warm, brown eyes before he returns her kiss. His lips pass over hers gently at first, then return with more pressure, possessive and passionate as his hands run through her hair, his body falling between her legs as she unconsciously makes room for him. "Thought you wanted to get dinner," he says when he lifts his head to look at her, desire roaring to life when he sees her half-closed eyes and wet lips.

"We should," Kono murmurs, even as she pulls him closer, kissing him again as his fingers run down her sides to play with the hem of her tank top, sliding underneath to rub at her soft stomach. "I mean, you already showered and everything."

Steve nods at her obvious statement, but he bends to kiss her bare shoulder, and his hands slip her shirt over her head to reveal the bikini top she's wearing underneath. He stares at her chest and toned stomach, the perfect balance of smooth skin and lean muscle, covered with soft skin tanned to a golden brown perfection from hours under the sun. He stares for a long second before she squirms in his arms and leans up to kiss him, her hands cradling his face as her body brushes against his.

"Stop staring," she orders in between kisses. "It's rude."

Steve flashes her a grin, chuckling when she smiles back despite her playful scolding. "I can't help it. You're..."

He never finishes his sentence but she blushes anyway and shakes her head at him, so he thinks she understands what he means. He leans down to kiss her again, nuzzling at the corner of her jaw and listening with pleasure at the way her breath hitches in his ear.

"You're nice to look at," he whispers and watches the blush erupt on the side of her neck as she rolls her eyes at the compliment. She bites back a wide smile at his praise, but manages to look pleased at the words nonetheless.

"And you're cooking after," Kono tells him. He nods because it doesn't look like they're going to make it to dinner after all. And he's the better cook in this relationship; they discovered that early and she takes full advantage of it.

* * *

"Do you think I can have my birthday party at your house again, Uncle Steve?" Grace asks eagerly, nearly bouncing in her seat as she waits to hear the answer she's nearly a hundred percent sure he'll give.

"Sure, Gracie," Steve says with a smile as he watches her dig into her shave ice. "Your birthday's months away though."

"I know, but Lucy wanted me to ask." Grace turns to Kono at her side, giving Steve a teasing smile as she says, "My friend Lucy is _in love_ with Uncle Steve."

Kono laughs as Steve flushes and rolls his eyes, tapping his fingers idly as he watches the two of them from across the picnic table. They both have identical shave ice cones and wear matching smiles as they look at him, and he can't help but smile back fondly.

"Grace," Steve begins as he shakes his head at her, "she's not in love with me. She just, you know, has a crush on me because of the camping trip."

"She's in love with him," Grace repeats with confidence, making Kono laugh again at the certainty in her words.

"Right, Lucy from the diamonds case, I remember," Kono recalls. "I guess I finally get to meet my competition at your party then, right, Grace?"

"Kono, shut up and eat your shave ice," Steve orders, but his lips twitch into a smile as he watches the blonde and the brunette exchange grins at the topic of conversation that's making him squirm.

"She says she wants to marry Uncle Steve when she grows up," Grace explains to Kono, "so you should hurry up and marry him first."

Even Kono blushes at that, avoiding Steve's gaze and keeping her eyes locked on Grace as she tells her heart to remain calm at the teenager's suggestion. "Oh, yeah? Well, Lucy has to wait until she's legal first so that's a real bummer, believe me."

"Gross." Steve makes a face, scowling in disgust at the comment. "Will you guys hurry up, please? We've been here half an hour already."

"That's part of the fun, Steve," Kono tells him with a dramatic sigh. "You have to take it all in." She waves at the beach around them, the tourists and the tides, the sun shining high in the sky on a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

"We're here every week, nothing's changed," Steve grumbles, but he smiles at the way Grace's face scrunches when she swallows too much ice at once, at the way strands of hair escape Kono's ponytail in the afternoon breeze. It's not a bad way to spend a Saturday, if he thinks about it. He's thankful he now has people to spend time with, people to make memories with, instead of staying home to exercise alone or work his way through a pile of old case files on a rare free afternoon.

But then he looks up and his blood runs cold.

"Kono, take Grace to the car, now."

"Why? What are you-" She looks over her shoulder at whatever he's staring at so furiously, and when she makes the recognition, she puts a hand on Grace's shoulder for the girl to rise from her seat. "Come on, Grace, let's wait in the car."

"What's going on? What about Uncle Steve?" But at thirteen and being her father's daughter, she knows to follow their instructions without hesitation, even if she stops to ask a few questions along the way. She gives Steve a worried look but allows Kono to escort her to the parking lot without a scene.

"What are you doing here?" Steve rises from his seat to face Akoni Chan when the man approaches him, swaggering toward the picnic table as if he'd been invited.

"Here for the view. Didn't realize this was private property." When Steve doesn't buy it, Akoni only shrugs. "Well, figured you've been tailing me the last month, I should drop in on your life and do the same."

Steve doesn't deny he's been tracking the man, but he does lean in menacingly, gazes locked on the Hawaiian man as his own blue eyes shoot out flares of rage. "If you come near my family, I will _end you_." He forces himself not to make a scene because he can see a family with kids enjoying ice cream cones to his left. The last thing those little girls need is to end up traumatized from watching Steve kill someone with his bare hands.

"Just here for the beach," Akoni says, though his eyes dart to the parking lot where Grace and Kono headed.

Steve says nothing as Akoni walks away, forcing himself to remain calm, his hands unclenching from the urge to grab the long chain that was dangling around Chan's neck and strangling him with it. He watches until the man disappears down the beach the way he came and climbs into a car, the engine revving obnoxiously in a challenge that Steve ignores. It's a rare Saturday off, he's here with Grace and Kono, and he can't turn their favorite shave ice stand into a crime scene by murdering Akoni Chan for daring to eye his _ohana_. He'd been careful while following his movements during his free time, but Chan was familiar enough with law enforcement to recognize a tail.

"Anything you wanna tell me?" Kono asks, giving him a questioning look when he slides into the driver's seat of the truck five minutes later.

"Nope." Steve glances into the rearview mirror and gives Grace a reassuring smile as he pulls out of the parking lot. "Sorry about that, Grace."

"Is everything okay, Uncle Steve?" she asks quietly, worry lining her young face. Steve feels a twinge of anger and regret flash through him when he hears how her tone sounds so unlike the carefree one she'd been using back at the picnic table. Her biggest worry there had been finishing her shave ice cone and managing to sneak a second one out of him for the car ride home.

"Fine, Grace," he tells her, hoping his face doesn't give him away and his smile doesn't look as forced as it feels. "Just work stuff, you know how it is."

She nods and falls quiet at his words. Steve avoids Kono's eyes as he drives them back to Danny's.


	6. Chapter 6

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **I'm giddy from the tiny McKono scene we got in Monday's episode so thought I'd celebrate by getting another update out. Hope everyone's having a nice week! I appreciate those of you who are commenting and continuing to show interest in the story. Thank you for taking the time and being kind. :)

* * *

"Don't you have a girlfriend you should be with instead of stuck here at this time of night?"

Steve looks up at the sound of Danny's voice, smiling at him faintly before returning his attention to the computer screen.

"I didn't quit my job just because Kono and I got together, Danno," Steve says wryly. But he's grateful for the distraction after hours of working through case files, or staring at the same particular one on and off all night in between other work. Danny drags a chair beside him to see what he's been working on.

"What are you still doing here? I thought the chief at the Maui station said he'd send the files via courier tomorrow."

"He did. Just finishing some old stuff," Steve says, hoping he's managed to sound casual enough that Danny will accept the explanation and not dig any deeper.

But Danny knows him better than that. He leans forward to squint at the pictures on Steve's computer screen, recognition lighting in his blue eyes. "These are Max's pictures from last month of Mahuki, right? Did you find something new?"

"No," Steve admits, shaking his head in disappointment.

Danny sighs, long and dramatic and Steve tries to ignore it. He almost manages, but then his partner begins to speak. "Steve..."

"I know, Danny, I know," he snaps, and Danny quiets immediately. He's a good enough partner to know when to talk and when to listen. "I just know this son of a bitch did it. It's driving me crazy knowing we can't pin it on him. I hate when people get away with it, I -fucking hate it."

Danny nods in agreement at that. He and Steve may have a difference in opinion when it comes to means and methods of police work, but the end goal of justice is one they have had in common since the start of their partnership. It's one of the reasons they've supported each other without hesitation through many of the cases they've worked on, even when the evidence didn't add up early on but their intuition followed through. The quest for resolution, avenging the innocent, and punishing the guilty is one they all believe in, and they all become wound up when something evades them simply because they don't have tangible proof, despite what their gut is telling them.

But as Danny is always reminding them, they can't take their gut to the prosecutor to put on the stand.

"I know, Steve, I get that. But there is nothing we can do about it right now until something new pops up on radar. What we can do is work on the rest of our cases which are still currently open for investigation, am I right?" He takes Steve's silence as a begrudging _yes,_ and nods as if he's answered out loud. "I'm sorry to say it, but seems like Akoni Chan is as slippery and slimy as his stupid snake gang," Danny concludes, moving his hand in a slithering snake gesture for emphasis.

Steve stares at him for a second, his mind running a thousand directions at once before his eyes widen as he makes the leap. His shoulders straighten from the disappointed slump they were in, and he begins moving around papers on his desk frantically to find exactly what he's looking for to put the pieces together.

"Danny, you're a genius."

"I am?" Danny asks, his eyebrows furrowing as he stares at Steve in confusion. "I mean, I know I am, but what just clicked?"

Steve hurries to click through the pictures on his computer, finding the digital images Max had e-mailed him of the complete autopsy report, including a picture of that "vague squiggly" mark he had mentioned finding on the back of Mahuki's neck. He stares at the picture, quickly flashing to the memory of the snake pendant he'd seen around Akoni Chan's neck when they had the guy in interrogation, and again at the beach when he'd approached him in public. He quickly grabs a piece of paper and a pen, drawing the symbol from memory and showing it to Danny.

"Look. It fits. Don't you think?"

Danny pauses to look at it, his detective's mind spinning to life as he understands what his partner's saying without needing to take the time or use the words to explain. It's how they've come to make this partnership work - not needing the extra sentences to relay what they're thinking of, picking up on each other's thoughts without the additional seconds needed for explanation. "You think he was arrogant enough to imprint the gang sign into Mahuki? That's as good as an _I did it_ stamp."

Steve grins at that, but nods as he goes back to searching for Max's complete autopsy report, moving aside folders and stacks of paperwork on his desk. "Gangs do it all the time, Danny, you know that. They leave a mark as a message, as a way of having their kills stand out. They can't resist pride being their downfall, and a punk like Chan? We saw that all over his face in interrogation."

"But you think he's stupid enough to keep wearing the necklace the whole time? I mean, are you serious?" Danny can't help but ask, because it really does seem like the stupidest of all moves, keeping a trace from the murder in plain sight.

"I bet you he couldn't resist, especially when it was a lawyer he killed," Steve explains. "It'd be like a reminder to the rest of the guys. He's wearing it like a medal." Finally, he finds Max's file and flips it open, reading over the measurements listed under the physical features of the scar in comparison to the recollection of the chain he'd seen around Chan's neck. "The sizing fits. I'm telling you, this is it." He turns the file over to his partner to read for confirmation on the theory.

Danny nods at him, his eyes brightening at the new information and what could be the missing link of evidence they've been searching for. "We need to get a warrant to physically search him and confiscate what we find, we can't let him dispose of it. Don't look at me like that," he tells Steve with a glare, "you're the one who said we had to do this by the book."

Steve bites back any complaints he was going to make about protocol and waiting for a search warrant because Danny's right. He had told the team they were going to do this the right way, that the family of Connor Mahuki deserved to have justice handed to them flawlessly without anyone daring to say Five-0 took any shortcuts on the road to a conviction. "Fine, you're right. I'll ask Fong about testing and-"

"Not right now you can't. It's nine o'clock at night, babe, it's gonna have to wait until the morning," Danny tells him with a chuckle as Steve reaches for the phone. "Some people actually leave work at a reasonable hour unlike you."

"Hey, you're here too," Steve replies back, hanging up the phone in disappointment, still rushing from a high of what could be the potential break in the case if the evidence fits and the test results match. He's nearly grinning, his body pumping with adrenaline, pumping with excitement at a showdown.

"Yeah, well, I was bound to pick up some of your bad habits over time. Just means this partnership's lasted way too long," Danny comments, but he gives Steve a proud nod as he watches his partner organize his desk and grab his keys to lock the office doors behind them. "Hey, good work."

* * *

"Clear."

Steve nods as he hears Danny say the word, and they continue up the stairs, Chin and Kono behind them as they enter the house they believe Chan is in. The front hallway is clear, and so is the drafty living room they stepped into. The room is full of dusty furniture and old boxes, piles of clothes in the corner, and the vague smell of mold that they try to ignore as they head up the stairs.

"Hands! Put the gun down."

Danny quickly files into the room behind Steve, whose gaze and weapon is locked and loaded on Akoni Chan. He stands against the wall, a gun pointed at Steve and clutching a cell phone in the other as if he'd just finished making a call. His eyes quickly scan the two of them, but the gun in his hand doesn't waver, his resolve only strengthening as manic determination fills his eyes. He looks at Steve, whose gaze is solemn, his stance ready for any potential route of action the situation may veer down.

"Just put it down and we'll take you in alive," Steve promises, inching closer to the man but stopping abruptly when he waves the gun higher. "Come on, make the smart choice."

"Thought you said I wasn't a smart guy," he sneers, the panic clear in his eyes even as he looks around the room for an escape. There is none. Danny's right behind Steve, and Chin and Kono are on guard in the doorway after they'd come in from clearing the other rooms across the hall. He eyes all four of the various weapons pointed at him from four highly trained individuals, but still doesn't make a move to lower the gun. It's as if he believes there's another way out of this standoff that doesn't include peacefully cooperating with law enforcement officials.

"Let's drop the gun, Chan," Danny urges softly. His eyes are full of the usual weary anticipation that arises whenever he has to draw his weapon on the job.

But Chan doesn't seem to process that as an option. He's looking around the room wildly, eyes returning to Steve's, narrowing as he takes in the SEAL's solemn and apathetic gaze, one leaving no room for apologies or excuses.

He acts quickly, but Steve is quicker.

Chan's eyes fill with a determination, full of anger and revenge, where he knows he's going down and he wants to go down swinging, where that possibility actually seems feasible though it's truly an act of suicide. He swings his arm around and shoots for his target. His weapon is aimed at Kono, shots flying toward her chest as the sound echoes in the small room.

_Bang! Bang!_

Steve's reflexes are as sharp as ever, lightening fast due to his exemplary training, and he fires as soon as he sees the movement of Chan's hand. It's a quick, clean shot to the forehead as the man topples to the ground, head knocking back against the wall as the weapon flops out of his lifeless hand and his phone scatters toward them on the floor. Steve doesn't pause as he hurries over Chan's body to Kono's side, Danny right behind him.

"Kono!"

Chin gets to her first, kneeling at her side where she fell back from the intensity of the slugs lodged snugly in her bulletproof vest. All three men let out a sigh of relief at the sight, even as they wait for her to catch her breath from the sudden impact.

She pants rapidly, eyes widening as she looks down at the bullets so close to her heart, the vest neatly dented, but holding the metal safely in its grip as it's supposed to. "I'm fine. Just... I'm fine." She looks up at their faces, worry and relief, anger and blame, all emotions on the familiar faces as they stare down at her. She gives them a wobbly smile, leaning forward as she takes Chin's outstretched hand to stand.

But she cries out as she stands up, pulling away when the slightest pressure of his fingertips makes her wince in pain. The men look panicked again at the noise, looking her over from head to toe to assess that they didn't miss any visible injuries. She hurries to reassure them, waving her hand and saying, "It's nothing. I landed wrong on my wrist, that's all."

"Well, I guess we can mark the case as closed," Danny comments wryly as he stares down at Chan's body, looking around the room grimly. "The lab will still have to test, but I guess that's the end."

Steve nods in agreement, still eyeing Kono with worry, his mind traveling a hundred directions at once as he tries to figure out what they're all trying to decipher in their own way - why Akoni Chan had aimed for Kono in his last moment of revenge instead of at one Steve McGarrett. It's unusual, it doesn't make sense, it's something out of the ordinary in a case that's already plagued Steve for so long as he's dealt with Chan, a personality who has enraged and frustrated him as he struggled to find the evidence needed to close the case.

Chin answers the question for them when he reaches for Akoni's cell phone while the others look around the rest of the room before calling HPD to secure the scene. "This explains it." His mouth is set in a thin line as he looks down at the phone, his voice full of quiet anger and his eyes flashing. Danny comes to his side to stare at the screen, shifting uncomfortably on his feet as he glances at Steve and Kono in turn.

"What?" Steve asks, joining the men, a scowl on his face at being left out. But his face goes pale immediately as he looks at what they're seeing, his jaw clenching and mouth falling open the slightest bit in shock. He turns away from them, making himself busy rifling through Chan's things, not looking back at the team despite the worried looks Danny throws his way.

Annoyed at being the only one left in the dark now, Kono exhales loudly, making herself heard by Chin and Danny who finally look her way. "What is it?"

Chin hands her the phone and she sees the grainy cell phone picture of a couple at a picnic table, a shorter blonde in between. She recognizes her red tank top from that day at the beach, recognizes the blue of Steve's shirt and the muscles of his arm, realizes it's Grace's blonde hair that Chan's captured in the picture. Her eyes quickly dart to Danny's, but he says nothing, only makes a gesture for her to continue scrolling through the pictures. She pushes the arrow to the next one, her eyes widening in surprise as she notices a picture of her and Steve on her porch. She recognizes her mailbox, and the planter of jasmine branches her mom waters every time she visits because Kono always forgets. They're standing close together, his arm around her waist as he looks down at her, a smile on her face as she looks up. There's one of the entire team at a table outside one of the restaurants they frequently visit for post-case drinks, one of Steve and Kono in the parking lot as she climbs into his truck, and another few captures of her leaving and entering headquarters alone. They're taken from enough of a distance that she looks like any other tall, thin island girl; she almost wouldn't recognize herself if it wasn't for the fact that she recognizes her own wardrobe. She keeps pushing the arrow button furiously but all the rest of the pictures are time-stamped months ago and of Chan with others. That must be all he had gathered, but it was enough to give away the fact that her relationship with Steve existed outside of work parameters, and it was certainly more than one of ordinary co-workers.

It takes her by surprise to see the pictures, to see the visible proof of their relationship. It's not like they've been hiding it behind closed doors; it's just that they're private. It's been nearly six months and though Chin and Danny were, of course, the first to know, other people they interact with, either on a work or personal basis, figured it out sooner or later. They didn't flaunt it and they weren't affectionate in public. They were always professional during the workday. But to see the pictures of private moments, stolen and captured on someone else's phone chip, to know those personal moments were intruded upon, it sends a chill down Kono's spine and makes her squirm uncomfortably.

She quickly hands the phone back to Chin who's ready with an evidence bag, andd exchanges a heavy glance with Danny. Her eyes go behind his shoulder to Steve who is still turned away from them, his shoulders tense as he calls the HPD crime unit to secure the scene. He doesn't look her way, doesn't make eye contact as he leaves the room, and they hear his heavy footsteps echoing down the stairs.

"He wanted to hurt Steve," Chin says, his voice tired and his eyes even more so. "He just knew he could hurt you to do it."


	7. Chapter 7

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **I don't know how many people are reading, but I wanted to be sure to update for those who are. So, thank you to those who are commenting. A bit of angst headed your way but I hope it'll be worth it in the end.

Hope everyone is doing wonderful and have a marvelous end to your May!

* * *

"It's fine, Steve," Kono assures him with a smile. "It's only a sprain."

He nods as he stares at her words, taking in the bandage at her wrist, but Kono knows his mind is a thousand miles away. He's thinking beyond the simple injury to the larger matter at hand that they need to discuss, that they need to conquer, because it's taking up so much space in her living room as if it's an invading army instead of a mere topic of conversation. The situation may be over, they may be finished at the crime scene, may have made it home in one piece and started the initial paperwork, but the ringing of those gunshots still haunts him; she can see the ghost of it lingering in his gaze.

"Steve, I'm okay," Kono says again, sliding next to him on the couch and resting a hand on his knee to pull him back to her, to remind him of her presence. But he moves away from her touch as if he doesn't deserve it, standing immediately to put distance between them. She sighs because she knows it's going to be a long night and all she can do is watch him pace across her small living room as if he's trapped in cramped quarters with no way to escape. "It's not your fault."

But she knows she's wasting her breath because he's shaking his head at her before she even finishes the sentence.

"It is, Kono. It is. Because of me."

It made sense to all of them after seeing the pictures, it made clear sense why the man took a final parting shot at Kono. Not at Steve, but at _Kono_. All four of them had been quiet at the scene, working diligently with HPD when the crime unit showed up, riding back to headquarters in silence in their usual pairs. Chin noticed Kono wincing with every movement of her left wrist and had taken her to the hospital despite her protests that it was only a little sore and would be fine with some ice and elevation. He'd waited while she'd gotten a quick x-ray done, and when the doctor prescribed her the same treatment, she was relieved to hear the scan came back clear and wearing a wrap bandage for a few days would suffice to reduce the swelling.

Chin had dropped her off at home, hugging her tightly before he left and telling her to come to dinner the next night they finished early at work. She tried to act casual, as if it was any ordinary day and an ordinary good night, but the aching bruise from the impact of the bullets that hit her chest reminds her otherwise. She squeezes him back, thankful for his presence in her life and the way his arms wrap around her without a moment's hesitation after either a calamity or a celebration.

Steve hasn't touched her all night.

He showed up ten minutes ago and looked her over from the top of her head to the tips of her bare feet, lingering at the stark white of the bandage at her wrist. But more than that, she can see his eyes stray to that spot at her chest where the bullets had hit and made her jolt back, where they'd remained lodged in her vest until she'd finally peeled it off during the car ride to the hospital. He stares at that spot as if he can see the bruising underneath, as if he can feel the impact like she had, as if he can hear the crack of gunshots in the room all over again.

She blames a dead Akoni Chan for the scare that left her heart racing, but left her thankful it was beating at all.

Steve, of course, blames himself.

He paces in front of her, tense and solemn, hands passing over his face as he struggles to find the words. "I didn't think- I had no idea-"

"It's not your fault, Steve." Kono echoes the words again, but he ignores them, refusing to believe her. He's in a place of his own, eyes dark and body tense, his soldier stance, and she has no idea how to reach him. She watches from the couch a few feet away, but the distance seems like miles.

Steve sighs deeply, shoulders slumped as if he's lost a war and found out she was the first casualty. "I'm so sorry, Kono."

"He's dead." Her voice comes out much sharper this time, hoping to bring him to attention and snap him out of how stupid he's being, how stupid this whole conversation is. His eyes meet hers, but the expression in them doesn't change.

"I should have known better," he mutters.

"Known what better?" Kono repeats, her heart clenching at the words because she has a bad feeling about this, a very bad feeling after an already bad day. "That he was taking creepy pictures of us? Because it slipped by me too."

He says nothing, lost in his thought as he stares at a spot over her shoulder, like he finds the wall more fascinating than her or this conversation. She sighs and stands up, going to him since he won't come to her, but when she reaches for him, he still won't look her way. His body language remains stiff like she's a stranger who has invaded his personal space, and not a woman he slept with two nights ago, been seeing exclusively for months, known for years and years.

"Maybe we shouldn't be doing this."

Kono hears the words but she's not sure she heard him correctly because they simply seem so preposterous on a night when all she wants is for him to hold her. He can't be serious, can he? Her hand grabs for his forearm, but he doesn't acknowledge the touch or the pressure, still staring behind her, not meeting her eyes.

She shakes her head, releasing a low chuckle, because this has to be some sort of joke. A bad joke because it sounds so terribly wrong. "You're kidding, right? Do you expect a lot of people with revenge vendettas to pop out of the woodwork?"

Steve tugs his hand out of her hold and takes a step back; she unconsciously shivers at the loss of contact. He meets her gaze and his eyes look cold, like blue ice, as if he's a nameless soldier on a mission to deliver bad news, and not the man she's come to know intimately over the last few months, the man whose eyes twinkle when he sees her in his kitchen making coffee, who gives in and lets her pick what they watch on TV at night.

"Please tell me you're kidding." Kono refuses to let her voice break at the possibility hovering over them, the possibility that he's not joking at all, that he's being absolutely serious. "Please tell me you're not breaking up with me over Akoni Chan."

She spits out the man's name in anger, hoping to get Steve's attention and it works. But hearing the name only hardens his features as he clenches his jaw for control. He shakes his head at her comment, then says, "It's not because of him. It's better this way. It's safer."

Better?_ Safer?_ Suddenly, she feels the impact from the slugs that hit her chest all over again; but this time, it's not on the outside of her skeletal system, but inside, down to her heart. She wonders if it's a side effect of the vest from catching the bullets, or is it his words that her causing her insides to hurt? She blinks back tears at the pain, not allowing herself to cry over his words when he's being so incredibly stupid, when he's being so _fucking_ stupid and refusing to snap out of it.

Maybe he notices the moisture in her eyes because his eyes soften just the slightest, and a flash of regret hits him. It's gone so fast that she thinks she may have imagined it before his shoulders stiffen and he looks away, swallowing audibly in the silence of her living room. "I'm sorry."

"Are you being serious?" Her voice comes out higher than she means for it to, as if she's on the verge of becoming hysterical. She shakes her head at herself, taking a deep breath to control her emotions, to try and reason with him because despite his issues, despite his quick anger and sudden impulses, he's always been a reasonable man, a logical soldier when it comes to approaching a battle plan. "Steve," she begins, "we're talking about some stupid island gangbanger, not a criminal mastermind, like Wo Fat-

_"Don't."_

This time, he interrupts her, his voice scathing and harsh, so dangerous that she flinches at the unfamiliar tone. But she had made the mistake of saying that name out loud and watching his eyes darken with anger. It might all be over - he's dead and Steve barely returned home in one piece after that final, brutal showdown- but they still don't say that name unless they have to, unless it is absolutely necessary. She and Steve certainly don't use it at all when it comes to the context of their personal relationship. She's never broken that unspoken rule, never tainted the air between them with that monster's name, but she can't help but bring it up now.

"Do _not_ mention him because that is not the same thing. I would never put you at risk if he was still out there, you know that."

And she does. She does. She'd seen the burden of the world and his parents' cases become lighter on his shoulder, seen him shuffle the weight to live again. He smiled a little more easily and his eyes twinkled a little brighter when he laughed. After the responsibility of hunting him down was accomplished, he woke up and felt connected to the world and his surroundings again. That was when he began to notice the way his feelings for Kono were changing over time; and after much internal debate and stolen moments, he had taken a chance when they admitted the truth to each other. After putting the demon that haunted him to rest, after making sure that _bastard_ couldn't hurt anyone else in his life, he could finally take a chance. It was the only way he could be sure he wasn't putting her in jeopardy. Yet here he is now, a different dead man and a different burden haunting him.

Kono swallows back an apology and resists the urge to reach for him because it's clear at this point he would only turn her away. She swallows her words of comfort and focuses on the issue at hand, at what he's trying to pull, at how big of a coward he's being, even if he's disguised himself as a selfless hero. "So, that's it? What have we been doing for the last six months?"

Steve's eyes meet hers as he hears the anger and the bitterness in her tone. He has the decency to look ashamed of himself at the question. But he provides her no answer. "I should go."

"Yeah, you should," she retorts harshly. She's done trying to reason with him, done trying to convince him, because this isn't something he should need convincing about. She knew what she was getting into with him, she thought about it after she kissed him, she thought about it _before_ she decided to kiss him again. She knew he had a protective side, she knew he would always be an alpha male, and that her safety would always come first to him, but she thought after all these months together, that screwed up hero complex in him had resigned and he would put their relationship first because it had come to mean something important to him, something special that he can't give up without a fight.

Apparently, she was wrong.

He doesn't move from his spot, looking at her with his hands balled into fists as if he's aching to touch her, as if he's putting all his concentration into not reaching for her. But he doesn't. Because that's not what you do when you're breaking someone's heart; you don't offer them comfort, you simply stand there and watch them try not to cry.

"I'm sorry. I hope we can go back to being friends-" His voice stutters over the word as if his body subconsciously realizes how stupid the word sounds.

"Just go!" Kono yells, her voice coming out shakier than she'd like, but it wakes them both up, echoing through her living room as sharply and suddenly as the gunshots aimed toward her earlier had. He finally turns and heads for the front door, not looking back. She hears the sound of his truck starting and driving off without any hesitation, as if it was really so easy for him to make the decision to walk away.

She refuses to cry. She calmly locks the door, puts away her leftovers, and turns off the lights. She breaks down in the shower for a good five minutes, then forces herself to push away all thoughts of the day and ignore all her aches and pains - whether it be the swelling of her wrist, the bruising on her chest, the affliction of her heart breaking. Kono tries to fall asleep because she has work tomorrow.


	8. Chapter 8

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note:** I really appreciate all the readers coming out of the woodwork last chapter to comment. It's motivating for the author to know people are reading the story, and to hear their reactions. Please leave a comment if you read, thank you!

Hope you are having a great start to your month of June, and have a wonderful week! :)

* * *

"Hey, babe, where you been?"

Chin and Kono look up from the smart table at Danny's question directed to their boss who has finally joined them. Steve walks through the glass doors, his eyes passing over all three of them, lingering for the slightest of moments on Kono. He pauses for a fraction of a second in his steps before he makes his way across the room to join them. There's no other spot at the table except for next to Kono, but he stands a good two feet away from her so there's plenty of distance between them, a fact that Chin and Danny notice silently though they make no comment.

"The lab, and then the Mahuki family. Had to wrap things up." Steve's voice is much more authoritative than casual. "I'm gonna be in my office," he says in their general direction before he disappears down the hall. "Let me know if Max does his video feed thing."

"What's with him?" Danny wonders out loud, looking to Chin. The other man only shrugs, shaking his head in confusion.

Kono taps her fingers as she waits impatiently for the background search to finish. It seems like everything is going slower today - the computers, the hands on the clock, her body itself. She'd been tempted to stay home but she refused to give Steve that satisfaction, she refused to be that girl who had a relationship with her boss and then started skipping work, messing up on the job, and ruining her career because of a break-up. She is better than that, and she's going to be a god damn _professional_.

But the rest of her co-workers will have to be as well. When she looks up from the screen, Chin and Danny are staring at her, waiting patiently for an explanation. "What?" she asks with a sigh.

"Steve. What's up with him?" Chin questions with a frown, his eyes narrowing as he only just notices her slightly red and puffy eyes, the sadness in them she's trying to hide. Maybe she'd managed all morning, but now it's nearly noon, and her mask is slipping.

"I don't know," Kono lies with a shrug. "Why don't you ask him?"

"Why don't I ask you instead?" Danny replies back without a pause, pointing over his shoulder at Steve's office. "What's up?"

"I don't know," she repeats again, gathering her paperwork as she sends the report to the printer in her office. "Maybe something to do with the fact that he broke up with me last night." She takes one second to look at the matching shock on her colleagues' faces - Chin's eyes widen and Danny's mouth falls open at the news. "I'll be in my office."

_"What?!"_ Danny calls after her. "What?"

She doesn't stop to give him an explanation because it's all pretty fucking unclear to her too.

* * *

"You didn't. Tell me you didn't."

Steve looks up with a sigh as he sees Danny and Chin enter his office without so much as a knock. From the frenzy of their body language and the way Danny approaches his desk with panic in his eyes, he has a feeling they know the news. He had to deal with them sooner or later.

"She told you?"

They stare at his question which is really an admission that he, in fact, _did_.

"You did. He did," Danny says in disbelief to Chin, his blue eyes wide as he shakes his head at the confirmation he's received. "He did."

"It's better this way, Danny," Steve says in resignation, looking back at his paperwork as if he's a very busy man with things to do, like he hasn't been staring at the file in front of him for the last ten minutes wondering what Kono had been talking about with the guys and if her eyes looked a little puffy like she'd cried last night after he left.

He didn't mean to make her cry.

_Dammit._

"Better for who? Why? I don't get it. What happened?" Danny's questions come out in quick succession, leaving Steve no room to answer but demanding an answer nonetheless. "Why the hell would you do this?!"

"Because of the pictures," Chin says, and both men turn to him at the answer. He stands in the center the office, his face stern as he looks at Steve, his eyes flashing with anger and protectiveness, disappointment aimed right at Steve.

Steve merely nods, trying not to feel a pang of regret at the expression in the older man's eyes, the usual fondness and respect in them replaced with a mix of emotions he doesn't have the heart to wade his way through right now. He'd expected it, of course, but he hadn't quite thought through all the ramifications of the team relationships when he'd made his decision last night and walked out of her house; he hadn't thought of the morning after, or all the mornings following that one.

"You did this for her _safety?_" Danny says the sentence as if it's a ridiculous notion, not at all chivalrous or selfless, as if it's stupid and insane and doesn't make any sense, and why the hell didn't Steve check with him before doing something as reckless as breaking up with the one and only Kono Kalakaua? "Are you kidding me? Are you fucking kidding me right now?"

He sounds so much like Kono did last night, the anger and the bitterness thrown his way without apology, although she hadn't gotten to the excessive cursing before he'd made a quick exit. Steve sighs as he looks up from his work to meet his partner's stare. "The only reason he aimed at her was because of me. We all know that."

Danny turns to Chin with his hands up in a helpless gesture as if hoping he can grab onto the right words which may be hovering in the air. "Chin, say something."

"What's there to say?" Chin shrugs, his voice as cold as the casual gesture. "Obviously he's made up his mind." Steve looks back at the older man reluctantly, maintaining eye contact because he has to do that much at least. If he's made his choice about this, he has to face the reactions. "I just thought you were braver than that."

Steve cringes at the insult, and Danny does too, but they say nothing as they watch Chin leave the room, the glass door slamming behind him as he heads for his respective office. But he still has Danny to deal with, so he looks up at his partner. "What, Danny? You know it's the safest thing."

"You know what would be safe? Not driving forty miles over the speed limit, not jumping out of windows, not stepping into an arms deal cause you think you can take the guy with the gun out with your ninja moves. But you seem to have no fucking problem doing those things, do you?" Danny throws those words at him before leaving the room, leaving Steve alone and without anyone to hear his answers; that's if he had the guts to face the questions.

* * *

"Drinks then?" Danny asks from his spot at the smart table a week later once they get confirmation from HPD that their guy has been fingerprinted, booked, and is officially locked into the system. Celebratory drinks are always necessary when they put a psychopath behind bars, and this guy who killed his two brothers and almost killed his sister over who gets the family estate definitely fit the profile in Danny's eyes.

Kono hesitates before answering. Going out for drinks with the team after a case won't be the same now that she and Steve are no longer together. No long glances, no lingering touches, no whispering when the others aren't looking. It won't even be like before they started dating when an easy sense of companionship flowed at the table, never a lull in conversation or a break in the rhythm. It'll just be plain _awkward_.

From the long pause at the table, everyone else seems to be thinking the same thing too.

She gives Danny a smile as she finishes her work on the smart screen. "Can't tonight. Sorry."

Chin, ever faithful Chin, looks from Kono's retreating figure to Steve, frowning though he says nothing. "Me either. Malia's waiting for me." He follows his cousin down the hall, giving Danny a rueful glance on his way.

Danny glares at Steve, not bothering to hide his displeasure. "This hasn't ruined the team dynamic at all, Steven," he states sarcastically. "Thanks a lot."

"I'll have a drink with you," Steve offers quickly, ignoring the way he senses Kono exiting the office behind him. He hadn't paid attention on purpose, but it's as if his body can't help but note where she is at all times, even more than usual now that she's forbidden to him. It's like the period before they became an item, but it's the opposite because then it was about him chasing after her, trying to become closer; now it's about him staying away.

"Fine, whatever. You're paying though. You're paying for the next five years."


	9. Chapter 9

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note:** I know there's lurkers out there, so why not drop a line? :) Either way, I appreciate those of you who are commenting and still following the story. Have a great weekend!

* * *

She is perfectly fine, thank you very much. She is every inch the professional. Kono has not become nostalgic in the workplace, has not locked eyes with him for too long, has not spent time dwelling over memories, has not lingered unnecessarily over the heartbreak.

Well, not _too_ much.

The worst part of it is playing the role of a co-worker, just a co-worker, only a co-worker. Because it's not something she's ever been with him. Ever since the beginning, after that first case when they'd sat around the office with cold beers and she'd tried to convince them into thinking of a team name, they had been more than two people who simply worked together. He'd appreciated her natural skills in the field, he'd coached her, he saw a potential in her that he encouraged to grow with his training. They'd laughed and teased each other, they'd teased Danny, they'd had drinks together, they'd flirted, always toeing that line between what was safe and what was professional, what could be and what shouldn't - until, one day, they finally gave in. They'd never stated it out loud, but where they'd landed together was much better than where they had been before individually.

Now, to go to a stage she's never been in with him, post-friendship, post-relationship, the awkward post-break-up stage, it's uncomfortable, and it's even more uncomfortable with Danny and Chin hovering between them as if they constantly need a buffer. She appreciates it, but she's handling it fine. She takes the same orders as always, she relays information from the plasma screen without pause, she gears up and follows him into the field, she comes back to the office and completes her paperwork. There's no tension, there's no hesitation, there's no awkwardness because she refuses to allow there to be. Considering how many hours she spends on the job, she won't allow her feelings to ruin where she spends most of her day, and sometimes, most of her night too.

But, sometimes, the awkwardness is unavoidable.

Kono's leaving her office when she hears the heavy footsteps behind her. She instantly recognizes the sound of them and looks up to see Steve heading down the hallway, slowing when he sees her, as if she's a road block he cannot avoid.

"Hey."

"Hey back," she replies, ignoring the forced greetings, the way she has to clench her jaw to hold back a smile that's begging to be released at the instinctive sound of his voice. She locks up and makes her way down the hall, stopping a few feet from him, watching him rock on his feet like he does when he's unsure of what to say next.

It's hard to forget some of those little things. She hopes time will make her forget. But it's only been a few weeks and that's certainly not enough time as of yet.

"You're here late," Steve comments, cringing at the obvious statement. Is this what they do now, talk about the time and the weather? Is this what their topics of conversation have been reduced to?

"I forgot to write up my account of the Benson raid and you said you wanted it by tomorrow," she reminds him, avoiding his eyes until she finally has no choice but to look at the startling blue of them. It makes her breath hitch a little, but she refuses to let him see.

"How are you?" The words fly out of his mouth before he can hold them back, like maybe he'd been pondering whether or not to say them but they'd made the decision on their own and escaped. But he looks at her, waiting for an answer, his words solemn as his eyes trace the curve of her cheek.

Only looking. No more touching.

Kono tries not to laugh, tries not to roll her eyes, because the thing about Steve is that even after calling things off, he genuinely wants to know how she is. He genuinely cares about her wellbeing. Obviously, he cares too much which is the reason she's not greeting him with a kiss right now. It was as much her decision to embark on a relationship with him as it was his, but it wasn't her decision to call things off; that's what he doesn't seem to understand.

But she nods and answers his question politely, almost too formally that it makes her cringe. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Good, I'm good," he replies lamely, eyes tortured as they give away an entirely different tale. He looks like he hasn't been sleeping, like he's tired on his feet, like his mind is in a different place entirely. Maybe he's lost in the middle of a warzone in a desert far away. She hopes the nightmares have been staying away, hopes they haven't been sneaking up on him when his body is exhausted and his mind is most susceptible in the middle of the night.

But all she does is nod. "Night, Boss." She notices the way he tenses at the word _Boss_, but she meant no hurt by it. The word carries no teasing, no innuendo as it would when she'd whisper it to him in the middle of the night, her lips brushing over his softly as his hands trail down her sides. It's just a word now, and all she's saying is goodbye.

Steve watches her walk away, fighting his body's reaction to her familiar smell, the hint of vanilla and coconut teasing his senses in the hallway, staying with him even after he tries to escape into his office.

* * *

"Can we stop for ice cream on the way home?" Grace asks, grinning widely from her soccer team's win, the medal around the neck shaking with every bounce in her step as she trails between Steve and Danny to the car. "Please, please?"

"Of course. My treat," Steve says with a grin, smiling at her brightly, his hand on her shoulder as he opens the car door for her. "Two scoops."

"Thanks, Uncle Steve." Grace slides into the seat and reaches for her phone. "I'm gonna call Kono and tell her to meet us there since she couldn't come to my game."

Steve exchanges a look of panic with Danny, hoping for some help, desperately hoping for a rescue. But the detective shakes his head, silently telling Steve that this is his fault and breaking the heart of his innocent, angel of a daughter with the news of the break-up will be on him too. He feels a flash of regret at the fact that Kono more than likely didn't come to the game to let him enjoy time with Grace. If she had come, it wouldn't have been like before where she'd be at his side to exuberantly cheer Grace on, eating all his french fries, and sneaking touches during time-outs when Danny's back was turned. He looks back at Grace before her fingers can start texting, catching her attention in the rearview mirror as he pulls out of the parking lot.

"Actually, Grace, how about just the three of us?" Steve begins, ignoring the way Danny's already shaking his head at Steve's timid start to the topic.

"Why?" Grace questions with a confused frown. "What about Kono?"

"Well..." Steve takes a deep breath and reminds himself she is just a thirteen-year-old girl; he has used questionable interrogation tactics on terrorists during secret missions and hadn't flinched. Grace? She's just a teenage girl. "Kono and I, we're... we're kinda taking a break."

"A break from what?" Grace's frown becomes even more pronounced now, a stark contrast of wrinkles on her smooth, young face. Her blue eyes dart to Danny's for an explanation, but her father remains quiet, his eyes on the road as he lets Steve continue the conversation.

"From each other."

"You _broke up?_" The question is delivered with such clear horror that Steve cringes at her tone, at the high-pitch sound of her voice as she again looks to Danny for an answer. "Danno, did they break up?"

"Let Steve explain it to you, okay, Monkey," Danny says helpfully. But to Steve, it's not helpful at all because Grace's blue eyes travel back to him for further questioning. She leans forward in her seat to stare at his profile, waiting for him to say something that'll make sense to her.

"You and Kono broke up, Uncle Steve?" Grace questions, her voice full of such anguish and empathy that Steve resists the urge to pull her into a hug. She's gotten so big now, so tall and so beautiful; it startles him every time. "Why?"

"It's hard to explain," he says with a shrug, meeting her eyes and trying to smile, trying to ignite the twinkle that had been there mere minutes ago after her soccer victory.

"But why? I thought you were perfect together. And you never even fought. Did you get into a big fight over something?" Grace questions, her eyes narrowed as she tries to understand. Steve nearly does a double-take as he looks into a set of quizzical blue eyes that's so similar to the way Danny stares at a piece of evidence that doesn't fit with his theory.

"It's... it's complicated," is all Steve says, hoping Grace will buy it, or at least understand that's the adult way of saying he doesn't want to talk about it.

She's old enough now to understand exactly what that phrase means, so she sits back in her seat and doesn't question him any further. But her heartbroken expression is hard to ignore for the grown-ups who glimpse it in the rearview mirror. Grace takes a deep breath, glancing at Steve hesitantly before asking one last question. "Do you think she'll still take me swimming and shopping with her, or-"

This time when Steve exchanges a look with Danny, the other man quickly jumps in, turning in his seat to meet Grace's eyes. "Of course she will! You know Kono loves you, she's gonna do everything with you just like she used to. Nothing's gonna change about that, I promise."

Grace nods at her father's reassurance, but looks back Steve with worry on her features as if she's scared she may be betraying him. "You don't mind, do you, Uncle Steve?"

"Of course not, Grace," Steve assures her with a big smile that hurts his face. "It's going to be the same as it was."

_Except it'll be completely different._

That thought hovers in the air for all three of them.

Grace nods at his words, looking so forlorn that it takes the shining medal around her neck for him to remember she'd won the soccer game instead of losing; from her expression, it's hard to tell. She doesn't look so excited for ice cream anymore, and is quiet while Steve and Danny talk about the latest case, only nodding and talking when Steve and Danny ask her a direct question. She looks lost in thought on the drive home.

"I'm sorry," Steve says to Danny in the driveway after Grace hugs him goodbye, giving him a sad smile before she enters the house.

"Well, she's the child of a broken home, what'd you expect?" Danny snaps, and Steve remains silent, knowing Danny will feel bad and apologize for his short temper. Sure enough, two seconds later, he sighs and turns to Steve with a look of remorse.

"Sorry. I just, I don't get why you're doing this. No, that's not true, I _get_ why you're doing this," he says, correcting his initial statement, with a wave of his hand. "To keep her safe. So, that means, what, you and I should stop hanging out? I shouldn't let Grace go camping with you anymore? You should banish Mary to the mainland again?" Steve remains quiet at the questions and his partner sighs in defeat. "I know as your best friend, I should support you. And I get that you care enough about her to let her go. But, seriously? It's just so fucking stupid."

Steve drives home wondering how he managed to break two female hearts in the same month.


	10. Chapter 10

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Thank you again to my faithful and loyal commenters, I appreciate your words so much. I hope you enjoy the update.

* * *

"Nice and easy does it," Steve says proudly with a grin of approval after she takes the suspect down easily with a swift kick in the shins, knocking him flat on his ass. They work in unison as she bends down to cuff him. The suspect grumbles as expected, moving his hands away, but Steve quickly reaches down to hold them firmly in place, Kono's hands brushing against his as she tightens the cuffs in place.

She looks up at him, their faces mere inches away, the smile still in place as she meets his eyes. This would be the time she says something teasing, both of them panting from the chase, senses humming from the adrenaline in their veins. It feels like things are the same again, as if they could so easily slip into a pattern of late night dinners and early morning kisses, of whisker burn and teasing touches. But her smile freezes into one of politeness as she looks away, hauling the handcuffed man up.

"You got him?" Steve asks unnecessarily, more for the sake of hoping she'll look his way again, of seeing that glow brighten her entire face when she'd looked his way instead of the clear indifference she's been showing him for the last few weeks. "Need a hand?"

"I got it, Boss," Kono says casually, shaking her head at his offer before walking away.

* * *

He sneaks up behind her at the beach when they're at Kamekona's to try his latest fried shrimp creation. It tastes the same as the other eight on the menu, but the culinary wizard insisted they come by and threatened to withhold his consulting services if they made any more excuses. After all, there couldn't be another serial killer on a rampage four afternoons in a row, right? Halfway through the meal, her phone rings and she gets to up take the call, walking towards the surf as if the ocean is calling her name. Her bright blue tank top stands out, the denim of her jean shorts faded in all the right places as it hugs her curves.

Kono turns when she hears footsteps, her ponytail swinging as she looks his way. He approaches her cautiously, as if he doesn't want to spook her, which is the funniest thing when he's the one feeling hesitant about what he needs to say.

"Hey. Good shrimp, huh?" She nods at the question reluctantly, looking at him, waiting for him to say what he needs to because there has to be a reason he followed her other than to comment on Kamekona's cooking. "Mary said she called you the other day."

Kono stiffens at the words which sound like an accusation, but she nods, refusing to break eye contact. "Yeah. Why? Am I not allowed to talk to her or something?" She's daring him to say no so she can put up a fight, but thankfully he's smarter than that.

"What? No, you can!" Steve says quickly. "I just, I wanted to say thanks for not telling her about us, you know..." He waves a hand between them, as if the situation and the feelings encompass the mere six inches of distance between them and not the entire air in headquarters when they lock eyes from across the smart table. "I'll tell her myself."

"Sure," Kono replies, an edge behind her voice though it remains flat without emotion. "Whatever you decide is best for everyone."

There's anger behind her words, and he tenses at the sarcasm, his hand tightening on the beer bottle he's holding. "That's not fair."

"You really wanna talk about what's fair right now?" she challenges. Her voice is so harsh and unforgiving that he almost takes a step back before he remembers he's supposed to be stronger than that, he's supposed to be standing his ground, he's supposed to be confident of his actions even if it involved pushing her away and making her cry.

It still amazes him, the fact that someone cried over him. Makes him feel like a total jackass, yes, but it still humbles him.

"Kono, I just- I don't want you to get hurt. With our jobs-" Steve steps closer to her unconsciously, stopping immediately when she steps back to maintain distance. "Sorry."

"Yeah, you said that already." Kono slips her phone into her pocket and taking one last look at the ocean view before she turns away. "I won't say anything to Mary."

He watches her take two steps away from him before she turns back, fire in her eyes and determination on her face as she steps closer to him, and this time, he's the one who almost steps back. "What?"

"Just one thing. Did it matter at all that it was me, or would you have dumped anyone?" she asks, the words spilling out of her as if she's been haunted by them for the weeks they've been apart, as if they've kept her up at night and she's debated them back and forth with no reprieve.

Steve hesitates at the question, unsure of how to answer, of what the answer is, and especially of what the _right_ answer is so he doesn't cause her more pain. He never expected to be with someone for so long, of establishing a sense of permanency that he hadn't realized he'd become so accustomed to. And for it to be Kono - he fell for her so quickly that it seemed silly he hadn't all along. He never used the word _love_, neither had she, but sometimes when they looked at each other, he felt it hovering between them, though neither was brave enough to declare it first. Because of those feelings, he knew he had to protect her, he knew he had to let her go.

"Right," Kono says with a shaky laugh after hearing his silence echo above the laughter of children and the crash of the waves. He wonders what answer she received from his silence, but from the sheen of tears in her eyes, whatever she translated it as, it doesn't look like it spared her any heartache. "Okay."

He watches her walk away and wonders why he feels like chasing after her if he did the right thing.

* * *

She's wearing a little black dress and he's been eyeing her all night. If they were attending one of these boring police banquets while still together, she'd be teasing him about what she's wearing underneath, playing with his hands under the table, leaning in close as if she's talking about the menu when really, from the way his eyes would light up and he'd smirk at her words, she's not discussing the entrée options at all.

But they're not together, so she sits next to Malia and laughs with her about the twins' adventures at daycare, talks with Danny about Grace's decision to run for student council secretary, and when their eyes meet from across the table, she smiles at him politely. Because that's what co-workers do when they have to sit at the same table during a work event, they force smiles at each other and look away for someone better to talk to.

"So, how are you doing?" Malia asks Steve when they're in the buffet line, her smile kind despite the fact that he broke her sister-in-law's heart. Or maybe he's giving himself too much credit, and way too much power to think not being with him would ever result in heartbreak. But from the way Chin seems to be frowning at him all the time, it sure feels like it's true.

"Fine." Steve gives her a relieved smile that she's even talking to him, and unconsciously glances over his shoulder to see Kono talking with Danny enthusiastically. She used to talk to him like that. "How are you?" he asks Malia, ignoring the knowing, sympathetic look in her eyes as if he's suffered a loss and is grieving.

"I'm fine. Do you think Chin and I should break up?"

He nearly drops his plate at the question, his eyes widening as he looks at her, quickly glancing around to make sure no one else overheard. HPD spreads gossip like wildfire, and the last thing Chin needs is another vicious rumor circulating about him. "What? Are you guys having problems?" He knows the news concerns Chin and Malia, and that their children should be his first thought, but all he can think is _fuck_, another thing to go wrong for Kono right now.

"Oh, no, no," Malia says brightly, grabbing another cucumber sandwich from the platter as she nudges him to keep moving down the line. "I just meant going by your logic, he should leave me and the kids off on some deserted island to keep us safe from all the evil in the world, am I right?"

Steve stiffens instantly, catching on to her ruse and the way she waits patiently for his answer. He clenches his jaw, looking away from her as he politely steps to the next platter, seeing there's still another four dishes to go before he can escape her and her direct line of questioning. "That isn't funny."

"It's not," she agrees, her voice soft as she looks at him, putting a hand on his forearm to force him to meet her gaze. "It's not at all. It's sad. Doesn't it scare you, knowing she might end up with someone else? When Chin and I were apart all those years, it would _terrify_ me. That one day he'd meet someone and marry her, and have a whole family and a life that I wasn't given the chance to have with him." Steve remains silent and she smiles faintly, trying to lessen the pain of the images her words painted for him. "He was also being a selfless jackass like you, which is the only reason why he hasn't punched you yet. Just do me a favor, okay? Be smarter than him and don't wait as long to fix things, alright?"

Steve watches her walk away, still holding his plate as he tries to absorb everything she's thrown his way. It leaves a sour taste in his mouth to think of Kono moving on. Of course, he knows it will happen, he is hardly unforgettable or irreplaceable. But he'll have to watch it happen, and watch right from the sidelines. Unfortunately, because of their working relationship and the people they interact with, his seat for the view of her life is much too close to the field.

He leaves the table at the end of the night the same time she does, following her out of the ballroom despite Danny's warning looks. He thinks he sees Chin start to rise in his chair, but Malia's at his side in an instant, keeping him calm, drawing back his attention with her warm smile.

"What do you want?" Kono asks with a sigh, her eyes going to his immediately when he falls in step with her to the parking lot. "I can handle the walk to my car, thanks. There's about a hundred police officers in there right now, it's probably the safest place in town."

"I know," Steve says, but he doesn't stop walking and becomes her unofficial escort as he follows her to her car. She turns on her heels for an explanation he doesn't have to give. He rocks back and forth on his feet, hands in his pockets as he watches the way the moonlight bounces off the shine of her hair. "How are you?"

She nearly growls at the question, a roar of frustration that she tries to restrain as she takes a step toward him. "Stop asking me how I am! Just shut up and leave me the hell alone."

"Sorry," he says, trying not to appreciate the way she looks beautiful when she's mad, the way her skin turns the slightest hint of red, the stubborn angle of her jaw as she stares at him defiantly, the way her hair bounces with every shake of her head.

"Stop saying sorry! What are you so sorry for, Steve?" She's so close to him now that he can smell her perfume, that special one she uses from a fancy bottle for evening events, the one that smells like danger and desire with a hint of cherry blossom mixed in. "For breaking up with me? For starting this in the first place? For being an idiot and just walking away? What are you so _goddamn _sorry for?"

Everyone keeps asking him questions he doesn't have the fucking answers to, and she's so close and she smells so familiar, and the darkness is enveloping them and giving the illusion of secrecy. Suddenly, he's taking two steps forward to kiss her, trapping her body against the car, his hands boxing her in as his lips move against hers. He kisses her like there's been no pause, like he's been kissing her day and night like normal, instead of like a stranger whose lips haven't touched hers in weeks.

But she falls into the easy rhythm too, kissing him back, her hands cradling his face as she whimpers, pulling him closer because it has been too long, it has been _way_ too long. His lips aren't gentle as they claim possessiveness over hers, but rough and angry as if this is some fate out of his control and he is merely following orders, except for this moment of weakness right now. This moment of weakness he's succumbed to is all his.

She moans when his uses his teeth to tug at her lower lip, before quickly soothing it with his tongue the next moment. She always loved it when he did that.

_Did._

Just as quickly, she's pushing him back, her hands on his chest and he stumbles on his feet, taking a deep breath of night air to clear his senses from her perfume and her touch and her taste, the sight of her that's overwhelming him. He watches her breathe frantically, sees the glint of tears in her eyes and that pains him more than anything.

But not enough to make him wish he'd never kissed her at all.

"I'm sorry."

Kono laughs, a weak and tired sound as it echoes in the deserted parking lot. "What are you even sorry for?"

It's another question he can't find the answer to so he stands absolutely still and watches her drive away.


	11. Chapter 11

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Only four chapters left after this one! Thanks to my faithful readers - you're the reason I'm here sharing my work and updating because I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment in return.

* * *

"Hey, Charlie." Danny greets the lab technician with an easy smile as he waves an evidence bag with a baseball cap to grab the man's attention. "I know you got stuff from the scene this morning, but we found this on location about two miles away when Navy man here went crawling through the jungle."

"Not a problem," Charlie tells him, nodding at Danny and Steve with his usual air of helpfulness and cheerful disposition. "I'm almost done running the fabric from the car so I was gonna send the results with Kono."

Steve nods absentmindedly at the comment while checking his phone for reception yet again. Max was supposed to call when he had something for them. Danny takes a look at the nearby computer screen as if he could possibly understand what the numbers and charts mean. He takes in the half-eaten sandwiches and the sodas on Charlie's desk. They'd clearly interrupted lunch time.

"Sorry to barge in on your lunch date," Danny says, waving his hand at the food as he steps back from the computer with a nod of apology. "We just wanted to drop that by before we visit the family. Time is of the essence."

"Oh, no, it's not- it's just-" For some reason, Charlie seems to pale all of a sudden, glancing at Steve frantically, giving Danny a look as if he's said something horribly wrong.

"Why are your bathrooms so far away? To protect you from radioactive material or something?" Kono enters the lab from behind them, slowing her steps in surprise when she sees Steve and Danny at the monitors. "Oh, hey. Did you guys find something on your hike?"

Danny's the first to recover, quickly making conversation to cover what could turn into yet another potentially awkward work situation. He gives Kono a smile as he watches her grab her soda from Charlie's desk. "Considering the stuff that turns up in this lab, the farther the bathrooms the better, I say. And, yeah, we found a baseball cap with some weird sap stuff on it we need analyzed."

She smiles at him, her eyes moving to Steve's, lingering before she looks back at Danny with a nod. "I was gonna finish eating then head back with the results on the tire tracks. I'll wait until Charlie runs what you found too, since Chin's covering financials."

"Great. Thanks, Kono," Danny says, clapping his hands with a wide smile as he looks to Charlie with a nod. "Saves me from making another trip down here, no offense, Charlie. See you guys later." He surreptitiously touches Steve on the shoulder, urging him that they should exit without lingering any further.

He can't stop going over what they saw, his mind running over everything as he would a crime scene they've encountered and need to find answers for. Everything from the half-eaten sandwiches to the chairs pushed close together and the bounce in Kono's step when she'd returned from the restroom, as if she couldn't wait to get back to the room, to lunch, to someone else. The details nag him like they would after they've canvassed the area and have taken statements from the innocent bystanders, and have nothing to do now but agonize over setting up the narrative and revealing what the true story was.

This time though, Steve's the bystander, and he doesn't have to agonize at all because he was _right_ _there_. He was right there.

After ten minutes of silence in the car, Danny finally speaks up.

"Don't jump to conclusions," he says softly, sneaking a glance at Steve's impassive face. "It was just lunch. They're friends, friends have lunch. I mean, you've probably soured her off workplace relationships altogether, to be honest." Steve throws him a glare at that and Danny puts up a hand to apologize for the teasing, knowing it's too soon.

Steve remains quiet and lost in his thoughts as he speeds along a good fifteen miles over the speed limit. He fights back the panic threatening to flood his veins as he remembers what Malia had asked him at the banquet dinner last week. _Doesn't it scare you, knowing she might end up with someone else?_ It's as if the words have been haunting him, hitting him at the most inopportune times, reminding him that just because he let Kono go, no other guy would. Any other guy would be smart enough to hold her with both hands, he wouldn't let her out of his sight, he wouldn't let her get away, and he sure as hell wouldn't walk away on his own.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Danny says reassuringly. Despite his initial reaction at the break-up and his anger toward Steve, he has been trying to be more supportive about Steve's decision, and Steve appreciates that, he really does. But even Danny's loyalty sounds weak right now as he glances at Steve from the corner of his eye. "Nothing to worry about. Don't overthink it."

But his tone makes it clear that one day, someday, it will be a worry, it will happen, and when it does, Steve can do nothing but return to the car and drive back to work, then drive home to an empty house at the end of the day.

Steve ignores him, only clenching his jaw and tightening his grip on the steering wheel as he stares straight ahead at the road.

Kono comes into the office an hour and a half later with both lab results.

He tries to ignore the way she's smiling and the looks of pity Danny tosses his way.

* * *

She knocks on his office door on her way out to drop off her part of the report for the DA, because he'd rather have a hard copy than an e-mail attachment, even if all he has to do is take two seconds for it to load and hit print. But he's the boss so they cater to his needs.

Steve is hunched over his desk as he has been all afternoon. She tries to ignore the way his hair's standing up after he's run his hands through it in frustration, the way he looks at her with tired, blue eyes. But his gaze brightens just the slightest when he sees her, like she's a sight for sore eyes, one he doesn't deserve and will never admit he needs, but aches for anyway.

"Here. Just leaving my report," Kono says, dropping it on the corner of his desk.

"Thanks." He clutches it tightly as if he can feel the imprint her fingertips left. He looks up at her curiously when she hasn't left the room yet. Things have been calm since the kiss in the parking lot. They've ignored it, as if it never even happened, and they've remained respectful and professional, ignoring the past and trying to focus on a future of working together and being in each other's lives without being together. She still never stays longer than necessary in a room with him though, which is why right now is a surprise. "Is there somethin' else?"

Kono hesitates for a second, shifting on her feet before saying what she needs to. "I left my blowdryer in your bathroom. Can you bring it for me? It's Kelly's and I need to give it back to her."

Steve nods at her request and she tries to ignore the way his body tensed at the favor. It's not her fault. She doesn't have the energy to go to his house and pack her belongings right now, but the blowdryer doesn't belong to her and she needs to return it.

"Thanks. Did you eat?" she asks after a pause, trying to approach their new normal routine, one without late night office kisses or leaving paperwork for the morning because there's someone at home you'd rather be with instead.

"Uh, no, I'm good though," Steve says, looking back at his files, his jaw clenching in disapproval as if she's insulting him with the onslaught of memories. But she's just trying to establish a truce, to make the transition easier; she's just doing her part to make this better for both of them. She's at least _trying_.

"I can get you something if you don't have time," she offers with a friendly smile, but he doesn't look up from his paperwork, as if what she's saying isn't worth his attention. "My treat."

"I said I'm fine, Kono," he snaps, his voice unnecessarily harsh as he says it and she stiffens immediately at his tone.

"Fine. Don't eat, starve for all I care," Kono snaps back, making a hasty exit and slamming the door behind her on the way out.

* * *

It's four days later when it happens. Kono's undercover as a waitress to get a keycard off a drunk security analyst. They need access to the seventh floor of an office building where a company's embezzlement scam has left three murdered. She gets the card just fine, slipping it to Chin to make a copy, but it's returning it that's a problem. The man's getting a little handsy and won't let her go. She has to resort to shoving him a few times as he tries to drunkenly fight back before she can finally slip away to the surveillance van in the parking lot.

"Ow. Fuck." She holds an icepack to her cheek, glaring at the three of them as if it's their fault. "Next time, one of you get pawed and slapped by the drunk guy."

"Got it," Danny assures her with a nod. "Next time, Steve's going undercover."

She smiles at Steve, who scowls at Danny's comment before he turns back to give her a small grin at the joke. But he appreciates the new sense of normalcy they've established. It's professional and beneficial, it's conducive to the workplace as they fall into a new rhythm of working together without letting the memories of the past interrupt them. She doesn't glare at him as much anymore, she doesn't tense every time he walks by; she even slips up and smiles around him. Sometimes the smile even reaches her eyes.

It's been over a month and it's like she's getting over him.

It scares the fuck out of him.

He's never been a selfish man, but he really wants to be selfish with her. He wants to consume her every thought, possess her body, be the only one in her heart.

But he won't give in. Because Steve McGarrett doesn't turn back on his word.

"The ones who get weirdly strong when they're drunk are the worst," she grumbles.

"Yeah, I had a friend in Jersey who became the Hulk after a round or two," Danny comments as he begins putting away the equipment. "Had to pull him out of a dozen bar fights a year, I swear."

"How's it look?" She pulls off the ice pack and waits for their verdict. All three of them wince at the stark handprint on her cheek.

"Sorry, cuz," Chin says with a shrug. "Might want to avoid your parents for a few days."

"Great." Kono rolls her eyes, sighing as she returns the ice to her face to cool the stinging. "Can we call it a night already?"

But Steve can't get the image out of his head, that imprint of a hand, even as she assures them she's okay and just wants to get changed and go to bed. It's startling to see the mark on her face, and a reminder that he can't do anything about it. It's not because of him, it's not because he wasn't there; it happened because it happened and there's not a damn thing he can do about it. This would be the part where he takes her home and gives her an ice pack and a bowl of ice cream as he distracts her from the pain, usually with a few well-placed kisses until she's moaning from a different kind of ache. It's the same home remedy she gives him after he's the one with scrapes and bruises at the end of the day.

Now, he can't even do that because he decided not to be there for those nights. He's the one who took a step back and all he can do is send her home and wait to see her tomorrow morning, assess her face from across the room and wonder if the pain has lessened, wonder how she slept at night. He chose to take that new place in her life. He took that step and made that decision, _not_ her. He made it for both of them.

"Hey, I'm heading out. You should too," Danny says once the van is secured in the parking lot. "Why do you keep staying here until midnight anyway?"

"I like the quiet," Steve says lamely with a shrug. But he knows Danny won't leave until he does so he follows him to the parking lot. They walk lazily, unlike Chin who'd left in a hurry, because they have no one at home waiting for them.

"Right. Cause that big house you live alone in isn't quiet enough," Danny comments with a shake of his head, observing his partner in the darkness. "You know, I'm sure if you grovel and apologize, she'll take you back."

"What?" Steve's head snaps toward him, frowning at the words.

"Yeah, it's a novel concept. Knowing you, you probably have to devise a full-out mission plan first and examine the logistics of it, but usually, flowers do the trick. Although I don't really know if Kono's a flowers type of girl, but you should know that, I guess."

"Danny, I'm not going to apologize," Steve huffs, shaking his head in exasperation.

"Okay, fine. Be miserable." Steve looks up in surprise at the anger in Danny's tone, the callous way which he throws the words at him in the dark. "Do you really want to be alone for the rest of your life, Steve? Just tell me that! Cause, let me tell you, it is not fucking fun."

Steve stops in his tracks, turning from his truck door to look at his partner as he furiously jingles his keys to get the Camaro door open. He looks at Danny, sees his loyalty and his bravery, his honor and his heart; he deserves someone to spend the rest of his life with. He's got so much love to give, and no one to give it to, so he bestows all he has on his daughter, the center of his universe, and never complains about what he's lacking. He returns home alone at the end of the night - not by choice, but by destiny.

Fate had been kind enough to bring Steve someone and he'd pushed her away, insulted the universe, and refused to take a chance on what was nearly a god damn miracle in the first place.

"Danny." Steve takes a deep breath of Hawaiian night air as he struggles to find the right words, struggles to apologize. He seems to be doing a lot of that lately, searching for the words he can't find for the people he never meant to hurt in the first place. "I didn't mean-"

"Look, I know safety's important and obviously I'd do the same thing for Rachel or Grace or whoever, but just, be selfish, Steve, okay?" Danny's voice is quiet in the parking lot, but Steve hears the words clearly, the desperation and empathy behind them, sees the anguish in his expressive blue eyes. "Don't you get tired of being so fucking noble all the time? Be selfish with her. The world isn't going to fall apart if you give in. No one's going think less of you."

"Danny..." Steve tries to begin again, because Danny just doesn't understand what this is all about, he doesn't understand that-

But maybe he does, because he interrupts Steve one more time to say, "She won't think any less of you, I promise. It's okay to be weak when love is involved."

It's the second time that month someone's left him in a parking lot. Each time, their parting words have caught him by surprise and left his heart racing as if they've actually shot him in the chest, much like what happened to Kono that fateful afternoon where it all fell apart.


	12. Chapter 12

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay! Thank you so much to those who have taken the time to leave comments, I appreciate your feedback. Hope you're having a great start to your month, and enjoy this update.

* * *

He opens his door to find her on his front porch, rocking unconsciously in a display of nervousness while waiting for him to answer.

"What are you doing here?"

Kono shakes her head at the rudeness of his greeting, but ignores it as she meets his eyes to explain. "Kelly's hair dryer. I told you on Monday to bring it in."

"Right. Sorry, you can get it." Steve opens the door further for her to step inside, marveling at how wrong it feels to invite her in like a guest when she spent so much time at his place over the course of their relationship. Even before they were together, she and the team had always been welcome, and after, she was as comfortable in his home as he was. Now, she hesitantly steps inside, looking around the living room as if she'll see something different, as if he may have re-arranged the furniture during the month and a half she's been away.

But it's the same decor always, so she makes no comment and heads upstairs. Steve can't stop himself from following.

He stands in the doorway of the master bedroom bathroom as she rifles through her things at the sink. He can see her profile perfectly; the handprint mark on her cheek is fading, a mere shadow of the initial red that had remained all week. He can't stop staring at it, at the way it stands out, a startling mark of violence on such soft skin. He can feel his fingers itching to touch it, wanting to trace it, to cradle the curve of her cheek so she'll feel something else there; she'll feel his hand instead of the ghostly imprint of the man from the bar.

"What are you doing?" Steve asks in surprise as she pulls out a crumpled plastic bag from her jeans pocket and begins throwing things in. A flare of panic hits him at the sight of her things being taken away, at them simply vanishing in front of his eyes - there one moment, gone the next. Even if she hasn't been here for over a month, her things remaining in his line of sight have been a comforting reminder that, at one time, she had been. The feminine bottles, colorful and bright, seemed to fit without trouble in his bathroom, never looking out of place next to his few toiletries.

"Taking my stuff home, duh. Seriously, it's like you've never broken up with someone before." He doesn't refute the comment and she lets out a dry chuckle. "Great, I'm special." Kono spits out the word like it's poison, like she wishes to be anything but. Then she turns to look at him, narrowing her eyes before she says, "And Mary called me again."

"So? I said I'm not gonna tell you to stop talking to her."

"That's not it," Kono says with a shake of her head. "And like I'd listen," she adds with a glare, and he flashes a lopsided smile at that.

It's true. She has always been one to question his more questionable orders; it's one of the reasons he thinks he could be in love with her. After all, she'd questioned his decision to break up with her and if the ache in his heart is any indication, she'd been right about that too.

"When are you gonna soldier up and tell her you broke up with me?"

The smile disappears from Steve's face at her blunt question as he tries to coherently form an answer. "I, um..."

"Right. Well, find the courage already." She opens one drawer after another to search for more of her things. "I'd rather get the momentary awkwardness out of the way so we can bitch about what an idiot you are."

"Everyone keeps saying that," Steve mutters. He's walking into the bathroom before he can stop himself, standing behind her to stare at the back of her neck exposed by her ponytail, admiring the angle of her body as she reaches to open the last bottom drawer.

And then she'll be gone, having taken all traces of her presence with her.

"Well, it's true," Kono says, looking toward the doorway to toss him another glare, only to jump when she realizes he's right behind her. "Dammit! Don't do that."

He smiles this time because it's so familiar, her annoyance at him sneaking up on her. It'd be so easy right now to box her in against the sink, to lean in a few inches so their lips would be millimeters away, to cross that final distance and kiss her completely. It's been two weeks since that police banquet and she doesn't smell like fancy perfume tonight. Tonight, she smells like vanilla and the beach, of chlorine and Hawaiian sand, of that familiar smell he would inhale right before placing kisses down her neckline.

"_Don't_ kiss me, you asshole," Kono warns vehemently as she arches away from him. But she watches breathlessly in anticipation, waiting for his next move.

"I won't. I'm sorry."

But he can't help but move in anyway, his body aching to touch hers. He leans the slightest bit closer. His forehead touches her own as he rests his arms on the sink behind her, his body collapsing against hers with the weight of the world he's carrying, the weight of his decision, and the regrets that have been gathering on his conscience all month. Every forced smile she's tossed his way is in that pile, every awkward greeting, every hesitant touch, every goodbye at the end of the day; but when his skin finally touches hers, the pile seems considerably lighter.

Konos hands remain at her side. She drops the bag of her things but refuses to touch him in return, because she might not be able to pull away at all. "What are you sorry for?" Her voice is quiet and soothing, the same tone she'd use during hushed conversations in bed.

"That you got shot." Steve lifts his head to look at her, the blue of his eyes meeting the brown of hers. His gaze traces down the bridge of her nose and the bow of her lips, the line of her neck, the dip of her clavicle. "I'm sorry."

She knows reminding him that she didn't _actually_ get shot, that she was wearing a vest, will be useless, so she does what she can and tries to comfort him. "I'm fine, Steve, nothing happened. It wasn't your fault." This time, she can't resist wrapping her arms around him, drawing him closer even though she knows it'll be that much harder to leave the safety of his arms.

Because what he doesn't seem to understand is that with him, being _with_ him is where she feels the safest of all.

"It wasn't your fault. I'm fine."

Steve nods into her shoulder, relaxing the tiniest bit as he feels her stroke the back of his head, her fingers running through his hair in a soothing gesture that he refuses to admit works, but it does. And she knows it because she was the one who took the time to discover it.

She stays there a minute before she pushes at his chest, taking a deep breath and giving him a watery smile, blinking back tears as she takes a step toward the doorway. "I should go. I'll see ya."

"No, don't go," Steve says, the words escaping him so quickly that he didn't even have a chance to debate whether or not he should say them at all. "I just-"

"What, Steve? Just say what you want." Kono sighs heavily, her shoulders slumping as she looks at him with traces of pity and fondness, and he realizes how lucky he is, that despite everything, she's still looking his way at all. She speaks clearly her next question, enunciating each word, pausing in between so there's absolutely no mistaking what she's asking. "What do you want?"

Steve realizes this is a question he _finally_ knows the answer to, he knows it without a doubt, and he can deliver the answer without a moment's hesitation.

"I just want you."

His lips are against hers so quickly that she doesn't have time to breathe, doesn't have time to pause or think about pushing him away because he's covered the distance too quickly. One minute, he's at the sink looking like she ripped his heart out, and the next, he's right against her, his lips over hers, the pressure and play of them so frantic, as if she's the cure to his heartbreak as well as the cause of it. He's as urgent as he was in the parking lot, like they've lost so much time and it's all his fault and all he can do is kiss her and kiss her and kiss her in lieu of an apology.

But that's not going to work on her.

"No," she says, breaking the kiss and turning her head away, realizing he has her against the bathroom wall. She will not allow this to happen, she will not give in, because once she does, it'll be harder to make it through a second time. Because even if he had pushed her away, she still had to find the strength to create the distance between where they were to where they are now. She knows that could vanish immediately if she doesn't leave right now. "We are not doing this."

Steve steps away from her so suddenly, pulling his hands back as if she's burned him with the words, as if he's on fire from touching her when she doesn't want to be touched. "I'm sorry, you're right. Danny said I should get you flowers but-"

"Flowers?" Kono repeats in confusion, shaking her head at him as she tries to figure out yet another mess he's made without thinking things through. "Are you... are you trying to _apologize_?"

"Well, yeah," Steve shrugs, as if he thought that much was obvious. "I was an idiot. And I hate that you were targeted but it's not like you're going to quit your job. I'm sorry it was my fault though. Although, that wasn't my fault," he says quickly, waving at the mark on her cheek even as his hands clench in anger at the visibly fading mark. "I'm still sorry though."

It feels like the weight that's been on her chest for weeks now is slowly being lifted, like he's peeled it away with a few stuttering sentences as he stumbles over the words. But the remorse and hope in his eyes is very real. That's all it takes for her to shake her head in amusement. She can't help the chuckle that escapes her as she tries to comprehend what he's saying, the meaning behind his epiphany that he had to deliver while they're still standing in the bathroom.

She may want to kiss him back right now, but that doesn't mean she doesn't have things to say first.

"Fine. But you don't get to break up with me over something stupid again." She realizes how presumptuous that sounds, and quickly shakes her head to backtrack over her words. "I mean, you can break up with me if you want, but just don't do it over-"

"I don't want to break up with you." Steve says it so simply, so honestly, the look on his face so sincere that she can feel herself falling for him all over again. She has to restrain herself from making the first move and rushing into his arms. He screwed this up, so he's going to fix it.

"Oh, yeah?" Kono asks, with a teasing smile, walking backwards out of the bathroom, knowing his bed is just a few feet behind her, never breaking eye contact with him. "What do you want to do with me then?"

For the first time in what feels like ages, Steve smiles. The corners of his mouth lift up as his eyes crinkle in humor at her innuendo, at her clear invitation. He takes a step forward, and when she doesn't flinch or step back, he takes another, and another until he's right in front of her, so close now that their bodies are brushing. His left hand reaches for her face, cradling her cheek, and Kono leans in to the touch, her brown eyes meeting his solemn blue ones. She answers the question he's asking with the slightest of nods, and he leans forward, their lips meeting once more. This time, she doesn't break the contact; she pulls him even closer.

Someone releases a sigh, someone releases a groan, either him or her, or maybe both, because it feels like coming home.


	13. Chapter 13

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed last chapter - it was a big chapter of the story and I was anxious to hear feedback. Only two more updates after this, but I hope you enjoy the end!

* * *

"You're still an idiot," Kono murmurs, brushing a kiss across his bare chest before she tilts her head up to glare at him. "And you're lucky I find you pathetic enough to take back."

"Okay, yes," Steve says, nodding as he bends his head to kiss her again, his lips slow as he takes his time now that the first round of their frantic reunion is out of the way. She can say whatever she wants, insult him however she chooses, because she's naked in his arms and he can kiss her again, so he really doesn't give a fuck what she's saying because everything finally feels _right_ again.

Kono breaks kiss to look at him. "Yes to what?" He gives her a clueless stare and she punches him on the arm for not paying attention. "The idiot part, or you being pathetic?"

"All of it," he replies with an easy grin, leaning in to kiss her again and noting the way her lips curve up in a smile against his own. It is quite pathetic how he can't seem to stop grinning, how he can't seem to stop himself from touching her, from his lips finding hers again and again.

Kono pulls him closer, twisting her body so he's on top of her just the way she likes. He's lean and hard, all toned muscle as he presses her into the mattress, but still resting his weight on his forearms like a true gentleman as not to crush her completely. It's her favorite of positions, their bodies aligned from head to toe, being able to directly meet his eyes. She can catch every change in their blue hues as his emotions are revealed more clearly in the safety of his bedroom.

"Stop kissing me," she murmurs, even as she kisses him back, unable to stop, unwilling to sever the contact after being deprived of it for so long.

"I can't," Steve remarks, but he reluctantly breaks the kiss to meet her gaze, smiling softly as he brushes aside stray strands of hair. His hands trace the curve of her cheek. The bruise from their last undercover mission is fading, and in the darkness of his bedroom, he can barely see it. But he knows it's there; he can't seem to stop touching it, his fingers stroking over the skin as if he can smooth away the ugly imprint left behind with the simple gesture of his skin touching hers.

"So, what would you do if someone kidnaps me to get at you?" Her tone is purely conversational, but her eyes are serious as she asks the question. They may be kissing again but the discussion is far from over, and she still has to make him see her point of view regarding his rash decision to keep them apart the last month and a half. Despite the tough question, her hands rub across his bare back to keep him calm at the sudden switch in conversation, offering comfort and silently reassuring him that she's right here, that she's right here with him.

Steve stills immediately at her words, his gaze hardening at her proposed scenario. But he continues to look into her eyes, understanding what she's saying and the point she's trying to make. He nods, accepting her change to a more serious topic and drops a kiss on her forehead as he murmurs, "I'd find you."

"Yeah?" Kono turns her head to give him a quick kiss for the perfect answer. "Then you'd break up with me to keep me safe by staying away?"

Her tone is teasing now that she's safely back in the comfort of his arms so he scowls at her, clearly not amused with her making fun of him during the lesson. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Kono," he says, rolling his eyes, his tone carrying a trace of annoyance when she asks for verbal confirmation.

She pokes him in the ribs when she hears his exasperation and glares at him again. "Hey, you don't get to be annoyed with me, got it?" He falls silent at her scolding because he knows she's right. "Now," Kono begins again with a deep breath, "what if someone tries to take a shot at me or something like that again?"

"I'd kill them," Steve declares, and she shivers at his honest answer, at the certainty with which he says it, uttering it like a promise. She opens her mouth to say something, to admonish him for his statement of violence, but before she can, he adds, "But I wouldn't break up with you."

"Good. Now you're catching on," Kono says brightly, reaching up to kiss him again, arms wrapped around his neck as she pulls him closer. She sighs happily at the contact, the way his evening scruff brushes across the soft skin of her cheek, the way his lips part to meet hers as he rocks into her. He turns them so they're laying on their sides in bed, faces mere inches apart as she continues to kiss him. She finally parts when air becomes a necessity she can't ignore, but drops a kiss on his tattooed bicep. "Look, it's just..." She looks back up at him with a shrug, and tries to explain one last time. "If you don't want to be with me because you don't want to be with me, then just tell me so we're not wasting our time."

"I want to be with you," he says quickly, his hands tightening around her waist in addition to his declaration, like he's scared she may be planning her getaway from the bed right now.

But she's not planning on going anywhere for the rest of the night. Kono hides her smile at his honest confession, and nods at his revelation of honesty. "Okay. Then stop sacrificing your happiness like you're some special exception in the armed forces or all of law enforcement or something, because you're really not."

It's Steve's turn to hide a smile at her words as he brushes his nose against hers, kissing her quickly before he asks, "You think you make me happy?"

Kono gives him a wicked grin as she runs her hands down his chiseled chest, then back up again to the nape of his neck. "Well, I'm pretty sure I made you _really_ happy about twenty minutes ago," she teases, tilting her head with pride.

He nods into the curve of her throat, kissing her there, watching her shiver as he chuckles, his warm breath causing goosebumps to erupt on her skin. "You do," he admits. His fingers rub at the soft skin of her shoulders, and she shivers again at the delicacy of the gesture. It's the little things that catch her off guard sometimes; he loves to take her by surprise.

"You owe me a million pancake breakfasts. And more lessons at the range. And lots of other things," Kono tells him and he nods before she's even finished with her list. He's still smiling though, a real and genuine smile, his eyes twinkling and his mouth twitching to hold back his amusement, so she has no choice but to wipe the fake scowl off her face and smile in return. "You're just a big chicken, aren't you? You couldn't even tell Mary Ann cause you knew she'd fly down here and never stop bugging you."

Steve laughs at that, flashing his dimples at her as his eyes crinkle in the corners with amusement. It feels like forever since he's laughed - more than a month at least, or however long she's been away from his life in this capacity, however long it's been since he could lean down and kiss her simply because she's there and he can. He does that right after he shrugs and concedes to her demands. After all, no matter what she says, she's here so that means he's already won.

"Yeah, Kono, you got me. That's it."

* * *

They're back at work the next day, professional as ever. They seem to have gotten very good at their polite yet aloof air over the past month because Chin and Danny don't notice a difference. But then again, it's been a busy day with trying to stop another bank hostage situation and chasing their suspects through a crowded shopping mall while avoiding any civilian casualties. It's well past midnight after they finish booking, and that's without touching the mountain of paperwork they'll have to get to in the morning.

Kono drives home in a state of exhaustion, one of those trances where you're moving just to make it to bed but don't exactly remember how you arrived home. She takes a quick shower to wash off the long day and is about to get into bed when she's annoyed by someone knocking at her door, and is startled to find it's Steve.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Kono greets him with a tired smile, because it's been such a busy day that she hasn't gotten a moment alone with him. Despite their reconciliation last night and sharing a secret smile when they arrived at work separately this morning, she has gotten so used to being on her own the past month. The last month consisted of mostly avoiding thoughts of him and forcing herself to resist any unnecessary interaction, that she'd forgotten she didn't have to do that today.

Steve rocks on his feet, pausing at the doorway, waiting until she opens the screen door to let him in. He glances around her living room the same way she had done in his home, as if looking for any changes during his month long absence. A wave of relief goes through him when he sees nothing's changed; it's as messy as usual, maybe even more so considering the armed robbery case they've been working on all week, but that could be his SEAL senses judging too harshly on an initial assessment.

"I don't care what we have left to do, Steve, I'm sleeping for a good six hours before coming back to work so don't bother telling me I forgot something."

Steve shakes his head at her comment, smiling faintly as he takes in her scrubbed cheeks and how her wet hair flings water on the skin of her arms left bare by the thin straps of her tank top. "No, I just..."

"Just what?" She frowns, hoping this won't take too long because her eyes are closing and she barely has the energy to maintain a deep conversation like the last one they had shared in her living room. Actually, _shared_ wouldn't be the right word since he'd done most of the talking.

"Just wanted to see you, I guess," he admits with a shrug, avoiding her eyes as he says it. Truth is, after yesterday, he had to check that he hadn't imagined everything. He needed to have her instantly smile back at him like before, instead of the polite and forced greeting he's gotten used to receiving the past month. He had to see her again to feel that instant relief. She says nothing in response, so he has no choice but to look at her, noting the slightest hint of a smile on her face as she stares at him with amusement dancing in her eyes. "I should go."

Steve turns for the door, but she grabs his hand and tugs him toward her bedroom. "You can sleep here if you want."

Steve nods as he follows her, taking off his shirt and leaving his jeans in the corner of her bedroom. He watches her get into bed, moving over to let him have the side he would normally sleep on when he slept over. He slides in next to her, her body automatically turning toward his as their legs tangle together in an instant.

"So, you missed me, huh?" Kono asks teasingly, her fingers trailing across his bare shoulder as she smiles at him. "You're so needy. I can't believe you even lasted a month."

"Shut up," he says into the darkness, but he chuckles as he catches the flash of her dimples. He tilts his head down to kiss her, his hands cradling the back of her head to pull her closer. She relaxes into him, moaning as he increases the pressure slightly on her lips. He tilts his head to spend some time kissing her at another angle before pulling away, their noses brushing as they stare at each other from across the pillow.

"Nice work at the bank." Kono smiles at him proudly, the adoration and approval clear in her eyes as she looks at him in the dim light of her bedroom lamp kept on at night.

He grins at the praise as he thinks back to the bank situation he'd managed to gain control of fairly easily, and more importantly, without casualties. Some gunshots were fired into the wall to grab the suspect's attention, but the drywall can be repaired easily enough. That's what contractors are for. "Thanks."

"You missed having me around to stroke your ego, is that it?"

"I definitely missed having you around to stroke things," Steve remarks with a sly smile as he bends down to kiss her again quickly, leaning his body into hers so there's no mistaking his reference.

Kono laughs, her giggles echoing in the silence of the bedroom and he stares at her fondly. "And someone to laugh at your stupid innuendos."

"Hey, that was a good one."

"It was okay," she admits with a smile, stroking his arm softly as they settle into a long moment of silence. "Well, I missed you too. I just... I got so used to trying not to miss you over the last month that I forgot."

Steve nods at her explanation because he understands how things have been recently - the tension, the awkwardness, both trying to remain strong when facing the other from across the room. It feels like such a relief, knowing they won't have to maintain that act any longer because the challenge was exhausting, more exhausting than their already taxing jobs.

"Did you tell Danny yet?" Kono questions curiously. "Because he didn't say anything to me all day."

"No. It didn't come up. Did you tell Chin?" The older man acted the same with him today as he has all month, a little cold, a little distant, but still as courteous and respectful as ever. Kono shakes her head to answer his question. "I'm still waiting for him to punch me."

"Yeah, so am I." She smiles brightly and shrugs when Steve shakes his head in disapproval at her comment. "What?"

"Fine. But Malia likes me," Steve announces, recalling his conversation with the doctor at the police banquet a few weeks ago and the wisdom she'd imparted before leaving him alone in the buffet line. Her words haunted him for weeks, the way she'd urged him to face his fears before losing Kono altogether and having nothing but a lifetime of regrets. Her kind advice helped him admit the realization that, even if things were to get messy with Kono, as they surely might, he'd rather be at her side to clean up the damage than struggle to come to terms with it on his own, to watch her with someone else and have no part in helping her at all. Losing her without fighting for her would be the greatest mistake of all.

"Malia's an angel, she likes everyone," Kono tells him, shaking her head as if his rebuttal doesn't count. "But she did keep telling me to go easy on you when I wanted to burn your things."

He chuckles at the complete seriousness behind her words. "You wanted to burn my things?"

"Or throw them into the ocean. It was going to be part of the healing process before I hooked up with someone new." Kono only smiles as Steve scowls at her words, lifting his head from the pillow to look at her clearly in the beams of moonlight. "What?"

"You didn't, did you?" Steve asks, the question escaping before he can stop himself. He knows he has no right to ask. They certainly weren't holding each other other to any promises during their time apart. But he can't seem to stop the morbid curiosity inside him, desperately wanting to hear her answer, that possessive part of him hoping that she hadn't been with anyone, that she still has been _his_ in every old-fashioned notion of the word.

"Did I what?" Kono asks, shrugging innocently as she plays pretend. He doesn't stop staring, waiting for her to speak, so she questions him back, letting herself torture him a few minutes longer. "Did you?"

"No," he answers honestly, and she smiles to herself at the loyalty he shows someone in his life, even during a break-up. It's one of the reasons it's been so easy to fall in love with him. "Actually, you know what, don't tell me, I don't wanna know."

"That's very mature of you," Kono exclaims as he lays back down, but the scowl is slow to fade from his face so she takes pity on him. "I didn't either. But this really cute guy hit on me when I went to get shave ice and I was tempted, especially when he let me have his spot in line."

"You're easy," Steve teases, his tone casual, but his shoulders relax instantly with relief at her admission. He bends down to kiss her cheek to hide his smile when she slaps him playfully on the chest for his remark.

"And you're disturbing me. I would have been asleep half an hour ago if it wasn't for you interrupting," she scolds as she fixes the sheet over them, kissing him again before she rests her head on his shoulder, the spot she swears was made just for her.

"Sorry." Steve tucks strands of her hair behind her ears, knowing it bothers her if it gets in her eyes during the middle of the night. "Go to sleep."

"You too," she tells him, kissing his shoulder once more as she closes her eyes. "Don't worry, I'll tell Chin to go easy on you. And Malia does like you, so that's a plus cause he's so whipped that he'll listen to her."

He chuckles at that, because everyone knows it's the truth, and closes his eyes too, his hand rubbing lazy circles on her back as they drift off to sleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Sorry for the delay in updating, I've had a busy month. I hope everyone's doing great. Enjoy the penultimate chapter - only one update left! Have a great start to your week. :)

* * *

"No priors except for one DUI back in the late nineties, but that's hardly relevant to this," Kono exclaims. They're running background again on one of their old cases now that they've been granted clearance to another database.

"Still stupid though," Danny comments.

"Of course. But really, nothing stands out in his profile except for the fact that he's the poor victim of a bunch of mob guys and we don't know why," Kono says, shrugging as she looks at the three guys around the table. "Nothing special that I can find."

"Great." Chin sighs. "So we still have nothing?"

"I guess. Oh, and Steve apologized and groveled so I took his sorry ass back," Kono announces with a bright smile. Chin and Danny's gazes light up at the much more interesting news than the boring profile details she'd shared first. Steve glares at her for her word choice, but it turns into a lopsided smile as he looks back at the paperwork from HPD, quietly waiting to hear their other teammates' comments.

"You took him back?" Danny repeats in horror. "Why would you do such a thing, Kono? You were free!" Despite his words though, there's a wide grin on his face at the announcement, his eyes twinkling with joy as he looks from Steve to Kono with clear affection and happiness at the news of their reunion.

"I know," Kono agrees with a dramatic sigh, smiling at the detective in return. "But he was so pathetic, you should have seen him."

"Oh, I wish I had," Danny comments. "Did he cry? Just tell me he cried."

"Like a baby," Kono declares.

Steve finally looks up from the folder he's immersed in to shake his head at the two of them. "No, I didn't." Kono glares at him and he quickly adds, "Not that you're not worth crying over."

"You bet your ass I am," she reminds him before turning back to Danny to torture Steve some more. "But, yup, lots of crying and outrageous promises involved. He said he'd drive under the speed limit and give away all his grenades for me."

Now Steve can't help but snort in amusement. "No, I didn't."

"But you would if I asked, right?" she asks, narrowing her eyes at his lengthy silence.

Danny chuckles at the panic on his partner's face. "Kono, babe, now that's just mean," he scolds, even as he chuckles. "But you know you could do so much better, right? You're really settling."

"Okay, I'm right here," Steve snaps. "And don't pretend like you haven't been on my case all month to fix this, Danny."

"Yeah, but I figured you're so stupid that it'd take you ages to actually listen, and by that time, she'd have moved on to a normal non-Rambo man," Danny answers back.

"Chin?" Kono notices her cousin's silence at the table as he continues to work on the computer while the rest of them are immersed in teasing banter. "Comments, concerns?"

Steve and Danny fall silent as they wait for the other man to speak. Steve stares at him anxiously, waiting for his words, hoping for his approval, and trying to hide his nerves at the same time. But Chin merely shrugs, his eyes on Kono. "Does it really matter what I have to say?" he asks casually.

"Chin," Kono begins, but her cousin moves away from the smart table abruptly.

"I'm going to try calling his workplace again, see if we can interview the staff for anything else they can remember," Chin tells them before he heads for his office.

Danny whistles once he's disappeared down the hallway. "Well, you had his blessing once, but I see it's harder to get the second time around."

Despite her teasing Steve last night, Kono frowns at Chin's departure, unsure of what to make of his reaction. She knows he's been loyal to her, as he always is, and treated Steve with a cool layer of professionalism the last month. To be honest, she'd taken some satisfaction in it. She knew her cousin would always be on her side. But, now, she just hopes for a quick reversal back to how things were and a smooth transition from everyone in their lives. And Chin is a very important part of their lives.

"I'll talk to him later," Kono promises Steve.

"No, let me." Steve nods at her in reassurance when she raises an eyebrow at his offer. "I got it, Kono. Once we get back from Max's though. Let's go, Danny. See if you guys find anything from his work."

* * *

It's much later that afternoon when Steve enters Chin's office for a recap on the meeting with the victim's employer.

"He had nothing new to tell us," Chin relays, "but found some old security footage from the week before and after the murder for us. We can go over that, see if we spot anything."

"Sounds good." Steve stands with his arms across his chest as he stares at the older man, finally blurting out his words to initiate the conversation they need to have. "So, will you just hit me already?"

"Why? Will you break up with Kono if I do?" Chin questions back without a pause, obviously ready for the talk that's been boiling to the surface all day, the words that need to be said.

"No," Steve responds.

"So just when the next lunatic wants to get at her because of you?" Chin snaps, his voice rising slightly in challenge as he dares Steve to say something back.

When the younger man won't give him the satisfaction of an answer, having made the fact that he's not breaking up with Kono again very clear, Chin sighs and begins to speak more candidly. "Look, fine, you're back together, I'm glad. But I just want to say, pick a decision and commit to it. You want to stay away from her to keep her safe? Fine, stay away from her. Let her go. You wanna _be_ with her and keep her safe? Okay, do that. But don't go back and forth simply because you can't make up your mind. She doesn't deserve that."

"Like Malia didn't?" Steve knows what the older man is saying is true, but to hear it out loud stings his pride, makes him cringe with regret at the quick decision he made and the time he wasted to overturn it, and all the lost time he could have spent with Kono. Despite everyone's good-natured threats, he never really believed Chin would ever resort to violence with him, but with the Malia comment he's made echoing in the air, he's expecting a punch now more than ever. Hell, ever after throwing her name and their history into the mix, he deserves it.

Only adding to his impeccable reputation, Chin doesn't punch him. His body tenses immediately though, and he faces Steve with a look of mirth and restraint, his voice steely as he says his next words. "Hey, when I stayed away from her, I stayed away. And when I wanted her back, I got her back. I _proposed_ to make it clear to everyone what my intentions were. You don't get to give me shit for that."

Steve takes a step back, chagrined at Chin's words because he's right on all counts. He has no right bringing up Chin and Malia's unique history when this conversation is supposed to be about him and Kono. "You're right, I'm sorry. But I'm here now, and I'm not planning on fucking up again."

Chin nods at the confidence behind the statement, his stance and face visibly softening as his eyes become kind once again. "Okay. Then we have nothing more to talk about on the subject."

"Okay." Steve gives him a thankful smile as he also relaxes for the first time since he walked into the office, since the first time since he saw Chin's reaction that morning, really. His approval means more than Steve will ever admit, and because he knows it means so much to Kono too. "You can still hit me if you want. I'll let you have the first one for free.

"Just the first?" Chin questions with a slight smile on his face. "Really, brah, after everything?"

Steve shrugs and consents. "Okay, maybe the first two. But after that, no promises once reflex kicks in."

"Nah," Chin says with a warm chuckle, shaking his head at the tempting offer. "I promised Malia I wouldn't. She had you giving in within three months, actually. You're early."

"She's really something," Steve comments with a laugh at her prediction. Maybe Kono's right; maybe he has become needy and everyone can spot her as his weakness easily. But he can't help it, not when she's the one he needs.

"Yeah, she is," Chin agrees, pride in his voice and his eyes lighting up as he thinks of his wife. "Seriously though, you're going soft as you age, Steve. Pretty sure your SEAL team would laugh their asses off."

"Well, I guess that's what I have you and Danny around for now," Steve remarks.

Chin doesn't deny it.

* * *

"Well, your dad hates me again," Steve concludes as they enter the house after lunch with the Kalakauas.

"What do you mean, _again?_" Kono questions with a laugh. "He's always hated you, that never stopped." She smiles in apology and shrugs when he glares at her, not amused at her saying the truth out loud. "Sorry, but honestly, what did you expect?"

Steve has no answer to that, because, well, he had no idea what to expect. He honestly never thought of Kono's parents when he made his decision to break up with her. Thinking of her parents was the furthest thing from his mind. But when she'd mentioned she was going there for lunch, he figured since they were back together now, he should accompany her and say hello.

Neither Diana nor Luka Kalakaua made any comments in regard to the break-up, or the reunion that followed shortly thereafter. Steve figured Kono had coached them to keep quiet on the topic, and had probably explained the situation to her mom who she's more close with. There were no words uttered about it at all. It was if Steve had simply been away for month and a half and couldn't visit, like he had been on a mission or involved in undercover work. Diana had greeted him normally enough, even if he had caught her staring at him thoughtfully a few times from across the table. It left him wondering what exactly Kono had told her mother about her feelings for him.

Luka, on the other hand, barely said a word, not bothering to hide his frown as he'd glared at Steve all throughout lunch. Over the past months, they had managed to maintain a truce with small talk topics concerning the news, the weather, Congress' inability to cooperate, the lack of respect college students give their professors these days, and whatever Steve can share about his travels around the globe. But today, the older man had remained quiet, not initiating conversation at all, only talking to Kono. He went into his home office as soon as he was finished eating. Steve can tell he has a lot of ground to cover again post-break-up, and the thought already has him exhausted - and he's a man who once hiked fifteen miles in one night to find safety in the mountains of Afghanistan.

"Well, if I'd known the damage it would cause with him, I wouldn't have broken up with you," Steve jokes as he trails behind her to the kitchen. She stops immediately in her tracks to turn and glare at him. He quickly puts his hands up in a gesture of apology. "Sorry, just kidding."

"You better be." But she shakes her head in amusement and chuckles softly. "Well, Jeremy and Makaoi don't hate you," she says, referring to her brothers, "unless my dad filled them in. But I haven't heard from Makaoi in a month, he's in the Amazon on some project. Don't worry, my dad'll be back to normal soon."

"Normal wasn't much better," Steve mutters under his breath as he watches her open one of his kitchen cabinets and rummage around until she finds a chocolate pudding cup. 'Where did that come from?"

"I bought it ages ago," Kono says as she digs in, offering him a spoonful but he shakes his head. She shrugs and hops onto the counter to enjoy her snack. "And I knew you wouldn't eat it so it's stayed hidden all this time. I thought maybe Grace found it."

He shakes his head in amusement as he comes to lean against the counter next to her, marveling at how she has her own hiding spots in his home, even ones he hasn't gotten around to discovering yet. "Well, I'll take whatever I can get regarding Luka, so it's fine."

"Good attitude, Commander. Think of it as a mission. One you're losing, but your efforts are appreciated," she says with a smile. "And you were supposed to drop me back at my place."

"Just stay here," he says simply. He moves past her to slide open the glass door leading to the lanai and she follows. They step out into the late afternoon sunshine, inhaling a breath of fresh air after being cooped up inside the last hour. "Wanna swim?"

Her eyes light up in response to the question, and at how he's already removing his shirt and tossing it on the lounge chair before stepping out of his jeans. She rests her snack on the table and lets him slide off her tank top. His fingertips trail down her ribcage; she shivers at the touch even under the heat of the afternoon sun. She removes her shorts and follows him, already in a bikini from her morning surf. But she'll never say no to another swim, especially not one with him.

"I thought I'd go back for the night," Kono replies casually to his offer to stay overnight as they head down to the shoreline. She hopes he won't question her further, but she knows better than to think he'll dismiss lightly anything she says regarding their relationship now that they're back together.

"Why?" He walks right into the ocean, not needing to get adjusted to the water temperature or go in inch by inch, toe by toe. He turns and grabs her by the hand, pulling her in, smiling down at her as she shivers at the initial feel of the water, watching with fondness as she sighs and sinks under for the rest of her body to get adjusted.

She shrugs at the question, smiling back as the waves envelop them, even as she continues the conversation they've been having since they left the kitchen. "I was here last night. Just figured we'd take things slow."

Steve frowns in confusion at her answer, pausing to stare as her body floats further away from his due to the natural pull of the ocean. "I don't want to take things slow, do you?"

She says nothing as the question reaches her over the sound of the tides, shrugging in response because she's not quite sure how to put her reluctance into words. She's not scared he'll hurt her again. Kono knows him well enough to see the absolute determination with which he's handling this second start of their relationship. She trusts that promise she sees in his eyes. She's simply scared for herself - that she's going too fast, that she's falling for him all over again that she may not be able to get out unscathed if it comes to that.

"Because I hurt you?" he asks quietly. This time she can't help but move closer to him when she hears the regret in his voice, sliding up to him easily with the help of the currents, as if the ocean wants her to be at his side instead of drifting away. She doesn't answer the question, remaining silent, but he sees the answer written all over her face as he stares down at her. "I'm sorry. I'll take you home if you want."

Kono smiles at him softly as she reaches for him, her arms wrapping around his neck as her fingers run through his already wet hair. Her body aligns with his easily through the sliding texture of the water and he grasps her slick skin, hoisting her legs up so she can wrap them around his waist easily. They're plastered chest to chest, skin against skin, but he holds her tightly so she can't be pulled away from him. Not even Mother Nature can separate them unless she tries real hard; he's not letting her go again. There's nothing but the air and the sea in between them, and even that has difficulty getting through.

"You can take me later," she tells him right before she leans in for a kiss, and he smiles at her as his lips meet hers without hesitation. He tastes like the ocean, droplets of water trailing down his face and she sighs in delight as she kisses him, arching into him, her body humming like they've never been apart, like they've always been together, like they've been destined to kiss this way in the ocean since they met on a beach many years ago.

Steve mumbles something about how there's no towels on the deck, but she doesn't give him the opportunity to speak before her lips cover his again, only having allowed the second's interval so she could swallow a gulp of summer air before kissing him again. Her hands slip and slide on his wet skin as she pulls him closer and they forget about talking, forget about travel plans, forget about swimming altogether.

She ends up sleeping over in one of his t-shirts, and they don't mention anything about going slow, or going fast, or going anywhere again for the rest of the night. A few days later, she brings by more of her clothes to add to the already growing section in his closet.


	15. Chapter 15

**Title:** I Won't Call You My Weakness, But I Will Call You Mine

**Author's Note: **Here is the final chapter! Thank you _so_ much to those who have been commenting faithfully throughout the story - people like you are the reason I bothered to even post this at all. I have another multi-chapter story in this universe written and I will try to get around to posting that soon. Enjoy the update, please leave a comment on your way out, and have a great end to your summer!

* * *

"I fell asleep on your couch again."

Steve looks up from his desk when he hears Kono's voice, smiling faintly at her messy hair and sleepy eyes, though her eyes are narrowed at him right now as if this is part of some elaborate plan to have her sleep over again.

It's not, but it works out nicely.

"Is it okay if I sleep here instead of driving-"

"Sure. You don't have to ask." He interrupts her with his answer before she's even finished asking her question. Kono smiles as she comes around behind him to peer at what he's working on. Her hands go to his shoulders, massaging the kinks there since he's been behind his desk since they finished dinner and Sergeant Duke called about an old Five-0 case he believed HPD hit a new lead on. Steve leans back against her, thankful for the interruption and thankful that it's her.

"Calialo?" Kono reads the last name from the first response police report with a hint of confusion. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"It was one of our cases last year but we gave it back to HPD when we couldn't get to it. I think you ran the initial background check, but there was nothing suspicious." Steve points at the background report dated from nearly a year ago.

Kono leans further over his shoulder to check the account ID on the report, noting her username as she nods and tries to recall the case. "She and her friend were shot outside their house, right? It was labeled as a random drive-by, but it didn't fit for that area, and there were no other reports of incidents that year."

Steve nods. "HPD said her home security camera was pointed at her garage door so it showed nothing from the curb. But I was thinking, we could start with checking out the neighbors' cameras. We go to the security companies for the archive footage and try to piece together what we get, have Charlie build one of his panorama views."

Kono remains quiet behind him for so long that he cranes his neck up to look at her reaction. She meets his eyes and nods, her gaze solemn as she looks at him. The expression on her face unnerves him; it's as if she's seeing something he never meant to reveal. "That's a good start."

Steve looks back down at the file, enjoying the feel of her running her fingers through his hair, her fingertips scratching softly to ward off the headache he hadn't realized was creeping up on him. He glances at the clock on his desk and realizes just how late it's gotten. Before, without Kono's presence in his life, he wouldn't have even noticed for a couple more hours.

"It really got to you, didn't it?" Kono's voice is soft as it travels the few inches from where she's standing down to his ear. "The Mahuki case."

Steve shrugs as if indifferent, but the team already knows the truth about this case marking itself as one that's affected him, one he'll never forget. And probably one Kono never will too. Individually, they all come across those cases now and again, and it's easy for their teammates to spot the wear it's left after the assignment is long over. The Mahuki case and its aftermath is one that none of them will forget, not just Steve, despite the heavy burden he carried throughout it.

"Is that why you're going through these old case files, to try and find something we might have missed?" Kono questions, even though she's sure he won't answer her directly.

"We can at least give them a second look," Steve says with a sigh, proving her right by answering her question without answering it at all. "We handed off his case when nothing came up, but we finally spotted something, right?"

"Right," Kono echoes in agreement about the Mahuki case. "You did."

"I just..." He struggles to find the right words and looks up to find her staring at him as intently as before. He tries not to squirm under her gaze, tries not to feel like she's seeing more of him right now than he had ever meant to share over the simple topic of work. "I spent so much time and energy on my dad's case and looking into my mom's death, the least I can do is give other people a fraction of that attention. I'd want someone working like that if I couldn't have."

Kono says nothing, only wraps her arms around his neck more tightly and drops a kiss at the ridge of his temple. "You're right. Do you need any help?"

He shakes his head even as he smiles at her in thanks. "No, I'm done for the night. Just need to send Duke a few things to discuss tomorrow."

"Okay." But she remains standing behind him, her arms around his neck as she takes a deep breath, releasing it shakily and burying her head in the curve of his neck. "I love you."

Steve goes extremely still, holding his breath at the words because maybe he's heard wrong, or maybe she only accidentally said the words out loud and will take them back right away. Maybe she's made some giant mistake. He doesn't move, doesn't look at her, and sits silently, waiting to see what she'll do next.

Kono goes quiet too, but she takes another deep breath to say, "You don't have to say anything, I just wanted to tell you. Um..." She reluctantly pulls her arms back, patting his shoulder awkwardly as she moves around his desk for the door, avoiding his gaze the whole time. "I'm gonna get ready for bed."

Actually, she wants to drive away from the scene of the crime and go back to her own house and agonize over why she decided to drop the _I love you_ declaration on him at nearly midnight on a Saturday on what would have been a perfectly normal night. But her exit would only draw further attention to her confession, which is the last thing she wants. Not to mention, make her a coward who runs away. So, she calmly leaves the room, struggling to maintain her composure as she feels his eyes on her every step of the way.

It's not like it's come as a shock to him. He can see it in her eyes; it seems like she's been on the brink of saying it for some time now. But she's always stepped back, and he's sure she sees the same trepidation in him too. The words still take him by surprise, as if feeling them and _knowing_ them are two completely different things - hearing them out loud makes it a universal truth, gives it absolute certainty, constitutes it as an undeniable fact.

For Steve, he's pretty sure he feels it as well. The feelings have been similar to small waves in the ocean: quiet, innocent, lapping at your feet on the shore but you pay them no attention because they're hardly powerful enough to have an impact.

But somewhere between sharing secrets in bed, kissing in the ocean, surf lessons and target practice, the waves gathered to form a tsunami, overcoming him with such force that he knows he can't swim away, even with his superb underwater skills. He may as well accept his fate. He doesn't quite know how to say it out loud, but if letting her go has taught him anything, if the people in their lives have taught him anything, it's that his feelings for her are more visible than he thinks, no matter whether or not he's uttered the words out loud.

Steve climbs into bed half an hour later, looking at Kono curled up on the side of the mattress that's become her side for some time now. Her hand rests on his pillow, like maybe she waited for him to come upstairs but fell asleep anyway. He lifts her hand and climbs in, and her body turns toward him in an instant, their legs tangling together as she buries her face against the muscular canvas of his chest.

"What time is it?" She wakes up instantly at his presence and squints at him in the dark, her eyes hazy as she tries to look over his shoulder at the alarm clock.

"Late. Go back to sleep," Steve says softly, his hands sliding down her back to loop around her waist, rubbing circles through her tank top as she sighs blissfully at the move. He's never considered himself a cuddler, he prefers having his own space and usually ends up sprawled on the other side of the mattress in the morning. But when they're going to sleep, he can't have her that close and _not_ be touching her; it's a wasted opportunity if he lets that chance slip away. It would be one more regret weighing on his already heavy conscience.

Kono gives him a quick kiss on the chest before looking up at him. "You wanna go surfing with me in the morning?"

"Okay." She smiles slightly and rests her head back against his chest to become comfortable once more. His hands idly play with locks of her hair, his fingers always feeling so clumsy when it comes to the beautiful strands. "Hey, Kono?" He can hear her inhale, can hear the absence of her breathing in the quiet bedroom as she holds her breath just like he had downstairs. "Me, too. I... you know, love you too."

He says it so fast, the words running together without a pause in between, but the important ones are easily heard; the _love_ and the _you_, they can't be hidden. He says it in a near whisper, as if the words may haunt him the next day, though there's nothing scary about them. Actually, that's not true - they're downright fucking _terrifying_ words for Steve. But he's said them, and they now hover in the air and he tries not to squirm in her arms. He's stayed absolutely still for hours in the trenches of Afghanistan, but this makes him feel so god damn exposed, as if he he should run and hide, taking cover from potential enemy fire.

But there is no enemy - there is only Kono, and she already said she loves him first. Maybe she's the braver one between the two of them.

Steve can feel her smile against his neck, can feel the smooth skin of her lips as she places a gentle kiss on the curve of his shoulder. He relaxes slightly and loosens the grip he hadn't realized he was holding her in, his body adjusting more comfortably around hers now that the earth-shattering sentiments are out of the way.

"Okay. You still owe me breakfast tomorrow morning and a lesson at the range this weekend though." She gives him one last kiss when she hears him chuckle, flashing him a quick grin before burying her head in the crook of his neck again.

They both fall asleep with the hint of a smile on their faces, and they don't speak of it the next morning. But he smiles at her an extra moment longer when he wakes her up, kisses her a little longer though they're in a rush, so she knows she didn't imagine the whole thing.

* * *

"I thought you said you had something important to do," Steve grumbles as he trails behind her back to the beach parking lot.

"Building sandcastles with Grace and my nephews isn't important enough for you?" Kono questions sternly, and Steve wisely chooses not answer. He knows better than to ever argue against the Kelly twins. Despite their recent declarations of love, he still may lose when up against Chin and Malia's boys and their identical dimpled grins. "That's what I thought. Plus, you need to get out of the house more."

"I have part of the beach in my backyard, Kono," Steve points out, as if she may have missed that fact when she looks out at the view from his sliding glass door.

"But it's _deserted_. That doesn't count," Kono argues back. "Plus, this way we can get shave ice on the way home."

Steve chuckles, shaking his head as he catches on to her line of thinking and exploitation of the opportunity at hand, and the presence of his wallet. "Oh, so that's what this was expedition was about, I get it now."

"Get what?" She looks over her shoulder at him innocently. "If I do recall, you still owe me for your break-up stunt, so you should have absolutely no objection to buying me two scoops." Again, Steve remains quiet, though she thinks he mutters something under his breath about how he'll still be making up for that from the grave, but she's not one-hundred percent positive to call him out on it. "But you were good with the twins, so thanks for that. I get a little nervous handling both at once, especially since they're always on the move."

"Yeah?" Steve smiles at the compliment. "So, doesn't that mean you actually owe me?"

Kono laughs, her dimples flashing at him for the quickest of seconds in the evening sunshine. They're the same dimples the Kelly boys inherited from their father. "Nice try, Steve, but-"

"Commander McGarrett!"

They both turn at the voice. Steve is on guard immediately at the sound of his name as he takes a step in front of Kono to instinctively protect her. But he relaxes his stance when he recognizes the person running up to them from the opposite end of the beach.

"Who's that?" Kono asks curiously, pegging the smiling newcomer as in his late teens and someone she's never met, despite Steve seeming to know him. The teenager joins them and starts talking before Steve can answer her question.

"Commander McGarrett! Hi," the kid says with a bright smile, a little out of breath from running after them. "I thought it was you."

Steve nods in greeting, his smile soft and kind, the special one he saves for Grace and the Kelly twins, and the young, innocent children they come across in the middle of an investigation. "Hey, Brian. How's it goin'?"

"Fine. Oh, sorry, are you with your girlfriend or something?" Brian peers at Kono with a curious smile, looking back at Steve apologetically. "I don't wanna interrupt, I just wanted to talk to you for a second."

"No, no, it's fine," Steve says, turning to Kono, tilting his head slightly as if telling her to play it cool, to act natural, to not make a big deal out of this. "Kono, this is Brian Mahuki. Brian, Officer Kono Kalakaua. She's Five-0 too."

A light of understanding flickers on as Kono smiles at the kid, looking him over more closely. Sadly, the only image she has of his father is when they found him at the crime scene, and the haunting pictures from Max's autopsy report. But she quickly pushes that aside and replaces it with the new image of his very alive son, a boy with a long and promising future ahead of him. She can see it a little now, he has the same cheekbones as his father did, and the same angle of his jawline. "Hey, nice to meet you, Brian. I'm sorry for your loss."

A quick flash of sadness crosses the teenager's face as he nods at her condolence. Then it's gone again, pushed aside in the bright Hawaiian sunshine as he regains his composure. "Thanks. I mean, you guys solved the case so thank you for that. My mom and I, we really appreciate it. Commander McGarrett told me about everything you guys did, it was so cool."

Kono looks at Steve, who tries to hide a smile at the praise for his team and their rewarded efforts, at sticking with the case and finishing it all the way, no matter the rough start and no matter what anyone said along the way. "Well, Commander McGarrett here, he won't let us rest until we finish the job."

Brian Mahuki turns his gaze back on Steve, the respect and adoration clear in his eyes as he looks at his own real life leader in the quest for island justice. "I wanted to tell you that I called the HPD lab like you said, and they said I can start this summer."

"Really? That's great."

"And they said I can intern during my senior year too, once I get my schedule and get it approved by my guidance counselor. So, yeah... thanks, thanks so much," he finishes with a grin.

Steve waves away Brian's repeated thanks. "Not a problem. They're great guys, they help us solve cases all the time, including your father's. You'll learn a lot."

"Thanks again." Brian pauses for a second, still smiling at Steve as he reluctantly looks back down the beach the way he came. "I gotta go, my friends are waiting. They didn't believe me when I said you'd actually talk to me so I had to catch you before you left."

Steve grins at that, appreciating anyone who has the balls to show someone up and face a challenge head-on, especially someone who succeeds. "Good luck."

With a respectful nod at Kono, Brian disappears down the beach again and Kono turns to Steve with a smile. He ignores her for a few steps but she continues to look at him, her heart glowing at each and every new side of him she discovers, even the ones he tries to hide.

"So, you're a career counselor now?" Kono questions as she takes his hand, squeezing it tightly to convey all she means beyond the words she's saying out loud.

"No," Steve answers with a glare. "He mentioned he wants to go to school for forensic science, and I asked Charlie about it, and he said they take a few interns from high school and college every year, so I just," he shrugs modestly, "matched them up."

"You're a matchmaker," Kono teases.

"It's nothing."

"Hey, it's not nothing. It's _something_," Kono gives him a bright smile and he flashes her a lopsided one in return. "But, you know, that's just one more person who's in love with you now," she concludes, her voice serious even as her eyes twinkle in amusement.

"Kono." Steve groans at the comment, flushing slightly as he tugs his hand from her grasp to try and escape her line of teasing, and the conversation at hand. "Seriously, stop it."

"I mean it," she continues even as he mutters for her to shut up. "There's Lucy from the Aloha Girls incident-"

"Kono."

"-and now this kid. Are you trying to keep your options open or something, cause let me tell you-"

He kisses her right then and there on the beach to get her to stop talking, and he doesn't care who's watching.

* * *

_the end ~_


End file.
